Lucy Letby's lawyers call for baby deaths inquiry to be suspended
Lawyers for the former nurse Lucy Letby have called for the suspension of the inquiry into the events surrounding her crimes, claiming there was "overwhelming and compelling evidence" that her convictions are unsafe.
The Thirlwall Inquiry is this week hearing closing submissions after the conclusion of the evidence which first started to be heard last September.
The final report is due to be published in the autumn, but the lawyers have written to Lady Justice Thirlwall arguing it should be paused to allow for a review into Letby's convictions.
The letter, seen by Sky News, says there is "now substantial evidence that undermines all the convictions" and any report could be "based on the wrong premise" and will "not only be redundant but likely unreliable".
On Monday, Lady Justice Thirlwall said she had also received a request for the inquiry to be suspended last month from counsel for the management team at Countess Of Chester Hospital at the time Letby attacked babies in 2015 and 2016.
3:06
The hospital's former senior executives made the request weeks after an international panel of neonatologists and paediatric specialists said bad medical care and natural causes were the reasons for the collapses and deaths on the neo-natal unit.
Those medical findings have been passed to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice.
Lawyers for the former hospital executives have also written to the health secretary calling for the inquiry's suspension.
Letby's legal team hope her case will eventually be referred back to the Court Of Appeal.
The 35-year-old former nurse from Hereford is serving 15 whole-life prison terms.
She was convicted across two trials at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.
In the letter to Lady Justice Thirlwall, Letby's lawyers wrote: "It is estimated that over £10m has been spent so far on the inquiry.
"It is now clear there is overwhelming and compelling evidence that Lucy Letby's convictions are unsafe.
"For the inquiry to be effective and the taxpayer's money not to be wasted, we urge that the inquiry be suspended and to wait for the outcome of the review to take place."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
French police watch as migrants board dinghies bound for the UK
French police shrugged and claimed that 'it's difficult' as they watched migrants boarding small boats to cross the Channel. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, reporters witnessed dozens of migrants, including children, wading out and boarding a dinghy already loaded with people after coming from an inland waterway. Also watching from the beach in Gravelines, near Calais, were ten French police wearing riot helmets and shields, who were filmed standing by and not intervening. When asked by Sky News why they did nothing, one officer said: 'It's for their safety. There are children there. We're not going to throw grenades at them. It's inhumane. But it's sad.' Another shrugged and told The Sun: 'It's difficult.' It is not the first time British media have captured French police standing by while small boats head for the UK, as the government continues to push for a change to French rules. Once a boat is afloat in the water, it is not within the powers of the gendarmerie to intercept it and bring it back to shore, even if it is safe to do so. In February Bruno Retailleau, the French interior minister, said that he wanted to give the gendarmerie new powers that would allow them to intercept boats within 300m of the coast. Retailleau also said that he hoped to restore the offence of an 'illegal stay' in France, which would allow police to arrest migrants and smugglers before they attempt a crossing. At present, migrants are only considered to have committed an offence when they launch the boat. The Home Office said earlier this month that it was still 'urging the French to make the necessary changes to their operational policy so their maritime forces can intervene in shallow waters as soon as possible'. The French have instead begun a review into 'new operational tactics', although it is unclear what the outcome will be. French police policy is only to intervene if there are enough officers present to safely control the situation.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Sky News
Wargame Q&A live: Team behind new podcast answer your questions
11:59:01 The Wargame: Listen to episodes one and two now The Wargame, a new podcast series by Sky News and Tortoise Media, launched today. Sky News' security and defence editor Deborah Haynes writes and presents the series, which imagines what would happen if Russia attacked the UK and tried to break up NATO in this new Trump-era world. Haynes will be answering your questions in our Q&A at 1.30pm today - check back here and watch along at the top of the page then. In the meantime, why not listen to the first two episodes? Episode one introduces the scenario and our experienced cast. Listen to False Flag below: And if you want to immediately dive into episode two, as the threat escalates, that's live too: Make sure you follow The Wargame so you don't miss the remaining episodes in the series. 06:50:27 Ben Wallace joins as PM - here are the other big names involved The scenario presented in The Wargame is designed to test Britain's defences and national resilience at a time of mounting tensions with Russia. It also explores the reliability - or otherwise - of key allies like the United States in a crisis. A top team of former government ministers and military and security chiefs took part in the podcast, which was written and presented by security and defence editor Deborah Haynes: Sir Ben Wallace, a former Conservative defence secretary, plays the prime minister; Jack Straw, a former senior Labour politician, resumes his old job as foreign secretary; Amber Rudd steps back into her former role as home secretary; Jim Murphy, Scottish secretary under Gordon Brown, takes the position of chancellor; James Heappey, a former armed forces minister, plays the defence secretary; Lord Mark Sedwill is the national security adviser - a position he held for real under both Theresa May and Boris Johnson; General Sir Richard Barrons, one of the leaders of a major defence review that is due to be published in the coming weeks, plays the role of chief of the defence staff, the UK's top military officer; Baroness Helena Kennedy, a barrister and expert on human rights law, appears as attorney general; and Lieutenant General Sir David Capewell resumes his former role as chief of joint operations, the UK's warfighting commander.
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Around 1,000 doctors urge MPs to vote against ‘unsafe' assisted dying Bill
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will return to the House of Commons for debate on Friday, with MPs expected to consider further amendments. But in a letter, published this week, doctors from across the NHS have urged lawmakers to listen to those 'who would have to deliver the consequences of this deeply flawed Bill'. They warn the Bill 'poses a real threat to both patients and the medical workforce'. In its current form the proposed legislation, which applies only to England and Wales, would mean terminally ill adults with only six months left to live could apply for assistance to end their lives, subject to the approval of two doctors and an expert panel. Last month, MPs approved a change in the Bill to ensure no medics would be obliged to take part in assisted dying. Doctors already had an opt-out but the new clause extends that to anyone, including pharmacists and social care workers. Encouraging or assisting suicide is currently against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. The letter to MPs said: 'As experienced medical professionals who regularly work with dying patients and who have reviewed the worldwide evidence on assisted dying, it is our opinion that this Bill poses a real threat to both patients and the medical workforce, and we urge you to vote against it. 'We are concerned that the private member's Bill process has not facilitated a balanced approach to the collection of evidence and input from key stakeholders including doctors, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups. 'This Bill will widen inequalities, it provides inadequate safeguards and, in our collective view, is simply not safe. 'This is the most important piece of healthcare legislation for 60 years and we urge you to listen to the doctors who would have to deliver the consequences of this deeply flawed Bill.' Sir Ed Davey welcomed the letter on Monday, telling Sky News he had 'real concerns'. 'I have voted against this assisted dying legislation, as I did on previous occasions,' the Liberal Democrat leader said. 'I have real concerns about the pressure on individuals, that they will put on themselves, if they think they are a burden on their family, so I welcome this letter.' He added: 'I hope, as time has gone on, as the arguments have been better exposed, that MPs will switch sides and join the side that I and many MPs are on.' But Sir Chris Bryant said he would be voting in favour. The technology minister told Sky News: 'The Government doesn't have a formal position at all and individual members are free to choose how they vote. 'I'm not going to hide my own personal preference. I abstained on the first time round, I decided I wasn't going to vote because I wanted to hear the debate. 'I have listened to a lot of the debate. Of course, I don't want anybody to feel that they are a burden on society and that should lead them towards taking their own life, but I also have heard the cries of people who are absolutely miserable, and that's why I will be voting for the Bill.' Some of the Bill's opponents have urged MPs to focus on improving end-of-life care rather than legislating for assisted dying. Ahead of last month's Commons debate on the Bill, two royal medical colleges raised concerns over the proposed legislation. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said it believes there are 'concerning deficiencies', while the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it has 'serious concerns' and cannot support the Bill. People with terminal illnesses, surrounded by loved ones, display their dying wishes on tags outside the Palace of Westminster in London to urge MPs to support the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Jas Lehal/PA) Opinions among members of the medical profession remain varied, with TV doctor Hilary Jones describing assisted dying for the terminally ill as 'kind and compassionate', adding that he would help a patient to end their life if the law was changed. The GP, often seen on ITV's Good Morning Britain and the Lorraine show, told the PA news agency he believes medicine will go 'back to the Dark Ages' if proposed legislation being considered at Westminster is voted down. While Friday is expected to see debate on further amendments to the Bill, it is thought a vote on the overall legislation might not take place until the following Friday, June 20.
