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| Countess of Chester: Why Lucy Letby case is under more scrutiny than ever | Countess of Chester: Why Lucy Letby case is under more scrutiny than ever |
| (6 days later) | |
| Lucy Letby is the most prolific child serial killer in modern UK history but speculation over her guilt has increased | Lucy Letby is the most prolific child serial killer in modern UK history but speculation over her guilt has increased |
| The case of Lucy Letby is at an unusual stage. | The case of Lucy Letby is at an unusual stage. |
| Officially, nothing has changed since August 2023 when the neonatal nurse became the most prolific child serial killer in British legal history. | Officially, nothing has changed since August 2023 when the neonatal nurse became the most prolific child serial killer in British legal history. |
| But doubts over her guilt have been gaining traction thanks to her new legal team and high-profile supporters, including the Tory MP Sir David Davis. | But doubts over her guilt have been gaining traction thanks to her new legal team and high-profile supporters, including the Tory MP Sir David Davis. |
| The Thirlwall Inquiry, which was set up to examine the circumstances of how Letby killed patients under the noses of her colleagues at the Countess of Chester Hospital, is due to hear closing submissions at Liverpool Town Hall | The Thirlwall Inquiry, which was set up to examine the circumstances of how Letby killed patients under the noses of her colleagues at the Countess of Chester Hospital, is due to hear closing submissions at Liverpool Town Hall |
| Private notes and emails reveal inside story of hospital struggle to stop Lucy Letby | Private notes and emails reveal inside story of hospital struggle to stop Lucy Letby |
| But early on, its chair Lady Justice Thirlwall indicated it would not entertain questions about her guilt or innocence. | But early on, its chair Lady Justice Thirlwall indicated it would not entertain questions about her guilt or innocence. |
| Here we look back at why her case is attracting more scrutiny than ever before. | Here we look back at why her case is attracting more scrutiny than ever before. |
| What was Letby convicted of doing? | What was Letby convicted of doing? |
| A nine-month trial at Manchester Crown Court heard that between June 2015 and June 2016 Letby targeted tiny, vulnerable babies at the Chester neonatal unit. | A nine-month trial at Manchester Crown Court heard that between June 2015 and June 2016 Letby targeted tiny, vulnerable babies at the Chester neonatal unit. |
| She used various methods to attack them including injecting them with air, poisoning them with insulin, overfeeding them and even physically assaulting them. | She used various methods to attack them including injecting them with air, poisoning them with insulin, overfeeding them and even physically assaulting them. |
| A staffing rota showed Letby was on shift for every baby collapse or death examined in court. | A staffing rota showed Letby was on shift for every baby collapse or death examined in court. |
| Lucy Letby used different methods to attack babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit | Lucy Letby used different methods to attack babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit |
| After more than 110 hours of deliberation, on 18 August 2023 jurors returned their final verdicts. | After more than 110 hours of deliberation, on 18 August 2023 jurors returned their final verdicts. |
| Letby, then 33, was found guilty of seven counts of murder, and six of attempted murder. | |
| She was found not guilty of two counts of attempted murder and jurors were undecided on a further six counts of attempted murder. | |
| Letby was handed 14 whole-life orders, meaning she has no opportunity for parole and will die in prison. | Letby was handed 14 whole-life orders, meaning she has no opportunity for parole and will die in prison. |
| She later faced a retrial for the attempted murder of a baby girl and was found guilty in July 2024. | She later faced a retrial for the attempted murder of a baby girl and was found guilty in July 2024. |
| She was sentenced to a 15th whole-life order. | She was sentenced to a 15th whole-life order. |
| Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life prison terms and is an inmate at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey | Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life prison terms and is an inmate at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey |
| Did Letby appeal her convictions? | Did Letby appeal her convictions? |
| Letby applied for leave to appeal the 14 convictions from her original trial and the additional attempted murder. | Letby applied for leave to appeal the 14 convictions from her original trial and the additional attempted murder. |
| In May 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed her application to overturn her original convictions on the grounds that prosecution evidence was flawed. | In May 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed her application to overturn her original convictions on the grounds that prosecution evidence was flawed. |
| Canadian neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee, who in the 1980s co-authored an academic paper on air embolus in babies - the blockage of blood vessels by air bubbles, claimed the prosecution had misinterpreted his findings. | Canadian neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee, who in the 1980s co-authored an academic paper on air embolus in babies - the blockage of blood vessels by air bubbles, claimed the prosecution had misinterpreted his findings. |
| But appeal judges ruled his testimony would not undermine Letby's conviction because the prosecution had not solely relied on his paper to argue for the diagnosis of air embolus. | But appeal judges ruled his testimony would not undermine Letby's conviction because the prosecution had not solely relied on his paper to argue for the diagnosis of air embolus. |
| In October, Letby was also refused leave to appeal against her 15th conviction. | In October, Letby was also refused leave to appeal against her 15th conviction. |
| Why are questions still being asked? | Why are questions still being asked? |
| In the months after Letby was convicted, rumblings emerged about the safety of her convictions. | In the months after Letby was convicted, rumblings emerged about the safety of her convictions. |
| Statisticians questioned the logic behind the staffing chart, while some medical experts said the tests that showed babies had been given insulin externally could be unreliable. | Statisticians questioned the logic behind the staffing chart, while some medical experts said the tests that showed babies had been given insulin externally could be unreliable. |
| Veteran MP Sir David Davis is among those who have cast doubts over Letby's conviction | Veteran MP Sir David Davis is among those who have cast doubts over Letby's conviction |
| Several journalists, including Private Eye columnist and physician Dr Phil Hammond and New Yorker magazine writer Rachel Aviv penned detailed articles questioning the prosecution's case. | Several journalists, including Private Eye columnist and physician Dr Phil Hammond and New Yorker magazine writer Rachel Aviv penned detailed articles questioning the prosecution's case. |
| Last year, Sir David Davis, MP for Goole, announced that he believed a miscarriage of justice had taken place, and referred to Ms Aviv's article in the House of Commons. | Last year, Sir David Davis, MP for Goole, announced that he believed a miscarriage of justice had taken place, and referred to Ms Aviv's article in the House of Commons. |
| But while those doubts received reasonable coverage, the questions ratcheted up significantly on 4 February this year. | But while those doubts received reasonable coverage, the questions ratcheted up significantly on 4 February this year. |
| With the help of Sir David, Letby's post-trial barrister, Mark McDonald, arranged an unusual press conference to present the findings of a panel of 14 international experts in neonatology and paediatrics. | With the help of Sir David, Letby's post-trial barrister, Mark McDonald, arranged an unusual press conference to present the findings of a panel of 14 international experts in neonatology and paediatrics. |
| Chairman of the panel was Dr Lee, who claimed that those experts had poured over trial transcripts and medical records and had reached conclusions at total odds with the prosecution experts. | Chairman of the panel was Dr Lee, who claimed that those experts had poured over trial transcripts and medical records and had reached conclusions at total odds with the prosecution experts. |
| Retired medic Dr Shoo Lee, during a press conference to announce "new medical evidence" regarding the safety of the convictions of Lucy Letby | Retired medic Dr Shoo Lee, during a press conference to announce "new medical evidence" regarding the safety of the convictions of Lucy Letby |
| He said during the press conference: "We did not find any murders. | He said during the press conference: "We did not find any murders. |
| "In all cases, death or injury were due to natural causes or just bad medical care. | "In all cases, death or injury were due to natural causes or just bad medical care. |
| "In our opinion, the medical opinion, the medical evidence doesn't support murder in any of these babies." | "In our opinion, the medical opinion, the medical evidence doesn't support murder in any of these babies." |
| What do other experts say? | What do other experts say? |
| Dr Dewi Evans, who was the prosecution's main expert witness, maintains that those claiming Letby was wrongly convicted are mistaken or have misunderstood the way the case was put. | Dr Dewi Evans, who was the prosecution's main expert witness, maintains that those claiming Letby was wrongly convicted are mistaken or have misunderstood the way the case was put. |
| He told the Sunday Times that Dr Lee's paper was not a crucial cornerstone of the prosecution case. | He told the Sunday Times that Dr Lee's paper was not a crucial cornerstone of the prosecution case. |
| "It's a useful paper — I don't want to do it down — but comparing how babies responded to treatment in the 1980s to how they respond to treatment in 2015, it's different," he said. | "It's a useful paper — I don't want to do it down — but comparing how babies responded to treatment in the 1980s to how they respond to treatment in 2015, it's different," he said. |
| Dr Evans also clashed with Letby's barrister after Mr McDonald claimed he had "changed his mind" about how three of the babies murdered by Letby had been killed, which he refuted. | Dr Evans also clashed with Letby's barrister after Mr McDonald claimed he had "changed his mind" about how three of the babies murdered by Letby had been killed, which he refuted. |
| "It's highly disrespectful to the families of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby," he added. | "It's highly disrespectful to the families of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby," he added. |
| How do the families feel? | How do the families feel? |
| Lawyers for the parents of babies killed and attacked by Letby said they found the speculation over her guilt "deeply upsetting". | Lawyers for the parents of babies killed and attacked by Letby said they found the speculation over her guilt "deeply upsetting". |
| Solicitor Tamlin Bolton told the BBC: "I can't stress enough how upsetting that has been for all of the families that I represent. | Solicitor Tamlin Bolton told the BBC: "I can't stress enough how upsetting that has been for all of the families that I represent. |
| "It is the families that are going through this, continuing to go through this in its enormity and sincerity." | "It is the families that are going through this, continuing to go through this in its enormity and sincerity." |
| After the press conference in February, one mother told a newspaper: "We already have the truth". | After the press conference in February, one mother told a newspaper: "We already have the truth". |
| What could happen next? | What could happen next? |
| With two applications for leave to appeal rejected and a full public inquiry premised on her guilt almost finished, it would be reasonable to consider the matter settled. | With two applications for leave to appeal rejected and a full public inquiry premised on her guilt almost finished, it would be reasonable to consider the matter settled. |
| But all convicted criminals in the UK have the option of making an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the statutory body set up to look for potential miscarriages of justice. | But all convicted criminals in the UK have the option of making an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the statutory body set up to look for potential miscarriages of justice. |
| The panel of 14 experts have passed their findings to the CCRC which indicated that a review of the application would take time due to the complexity of the case. | The panel of 14 experts have passed their findings to the CCRC which indicated that a review of the application would take time due to the complexity of the case. |
| If the CCRC concludes there is a risk that a conviction is unsafe, it can refer the case to the Court of Appeal for a full hearing. | If the CCRC concludes there is a risk that a conviction is unsafe, it can refer the case to the Court of Appeal for a full hearing. |
| What are police investigating? | What are police investigating? |
| Detectives continue investigations into other deaths and baby collapses that were not part of the original case against Letby. | Detectives continue investigations into other deaths and baby collapses that were not part of the original case against Letby. |
| Meanwhie, Cheshire Police has revealed that a criminal probe into the hospital had been widened to focus on individual staff. | Meanwhie, Cheshire Police has revealed that a criminal probe into the hospital had been widened to focus on individual staff. |
| The scope of the investigation will now include potential offences of gross negligence manslaughter, focussing on the action or inaction of individuals. | The scope of the investigation will now include potential offences of gross negligence manslaughter, focussing on the action or inaction of individuals. |
| Det Supt Paul Hughes said several suspects had been notified but "no arrests or charges have yet been made". | Det Supt Paul Hughes said several suspects had been notified but "no arrests or charges have yet been made". |
| What stage is the public inquiry at? | What stage is the public inquiry at? |
| The Thirlwall Inquiry was set up to examine the circumstances of how Letby killed patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital | The Thirlwall Inquiry was set up to examine the circumstances of how Letby killed patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital |
| The Thirlwall Inquiry is due to hear its final submissions from its core participants including the families of Letby's victims, the Countess of Chester, its former senior leaders, NHS England and other health agencies. | The Thirlwall Inquiry is due to hear its final submissions from its core participants including the families of Letby's victims, the Countess of Chester, its former senior leaders, NHS England and other health agencies. |
| On 17 March, inquiry chair Lady Justice Thirlwall revealed she had received a request from former senior executives at the Countess of Chester Hospital, along with David Davis, asking her to suspend the public inquiry. | On 17 March, inquiry chair Lady Justice Thirlwall revealed she had received a request from former senior executives at the Countess of Chester Hospital, along with David Davis, asking her to suspend the public inquiry. |
| Lawyers representing chief executive Tony Chambers, medical director Ian Harvey, director of nursing Alison Kelly and HR director Sue Hodkinson made the application weeks after the panel of experts held their press conference. | Lawyers representing chief executive Tony Chambers, medical director Ian Harvey, director of nursing Alison Kelly and HR director Sue Hodkinson made the application weeks after the panel of experts held their press conference. |
| They have also written to the health secretary asking for a pause. | They have also written to the health secretary asking for a pause. |
| Submissions will be heard on the topic later at Liverpool Town Hall, along with the closing statements. | Submissions will be heard on the topic later at Liverpool Town Hall, along with the closing statements. |
| Lady Justice Thirlwall's findings are expected to be published in Autumn. | Lady Justice Thirlwall's findings are expected to be published in Autumn. |
| Correction 2 April 2025: A previous version of this story wrongly stated Letby had been found not guilty of just one count of attempted murder, it now states correctly it was two counts. | |
| Clarification 27 March 2025: This story was updated to clarify the specific details of the case heard in court. | |
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