Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?
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Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Letby babies could have survived with better medical care, claims expert
Babies who died at Lucy Letby 's hospital may have survived with better medical care, a leading child expert has said. In a new ITV documentary about Letby's case, Prof Neena Modi, of Imperial College, said she had examined medical notes and concluded that critically ill babies had not been monitored or treated appropriately. Letby, 35, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders for killing seven babies and attempting to murder seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. But Prof Modi, a former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said the babies should never have been admitted to the ill-equipped and understaffed neonatal unit. 'On reading through the detailed medical notes, what was harrowing was seeing a story unfold where possibly things could have been recognised earlier and interventions could have been put in place, and perhaps for some of the babies, the outcomes might not have been what they were,' she said. 'This was deeply distressing. This was a neonatal unit that was being required to look after babies who should not have been cared for there. 'The babies that we're referring to were all extremely vulnerable. Some of them were demonstrably and recognisably on a knife edge. 'Others could have been recognised to have been on a knife edge, but they were not monitored appropriately, and they were not treated appropriately. 'Problems went unrecognised until the point at which a baby deteriorated very abruptly. So the babies might not have died had their difficulties been addressed earlier.' Prof Modi is part of a panel of world-leading experts who have challenged the verdicts and who have compiled a report that has been presented to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which looks into potential miscarriages of justice. The CCRC is expected to report back before Christmas. The documentary also heard that test results which the prosecution relied on to prove that several of the babies had been poisoned with insulin were not fit for purpose. Prof Matthew Johll, a forensic chemist from Illinois Valley Community College, said that an immunoassay test should not have been used to convict Letby without follow up forensic testing to rule out a false positive. 'You would not strip a gold medal from an international athlete on an immunoassay,' he said. 'It's not good enough for drug testing for pilots or anyone who has mandatory drug testing. So how can it be good enough to put someone in prison?' Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? is currently available on ITVX. The show's producers said: 'After two trials, nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of killing seven newborn babies and attempting to kill seven others in one of the most shocking murder cases in British history. 'Described as a cold-blooded, calculating killer, Letby was said to have used her trusted role to cause catastrophic harm to the most vulnerable newborn babies. 'So why are a growing number of expert voices now questioning the evidence used to convict her? This programme explores the views of a team of international scientists who say the prosecution case simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny.' Letby could also face further charges. In July, Cheshire Constabulary passed a new file to the Crown Prosecution Service relating to new baby deaths and non-fatal collapses at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital between 2012 and 2016. The CPS confirmed that it had received the file and said it would 'carefully consider the evidence to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought'. Cheshire Constabulary is also investigating three former managers from the Countess of Chester over allegations of gross negligence manslaughter and corporate manslaughter.
ITV News
3 days ago
- ITV News
Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?
Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? - This programme explores the views of a team of international scientists who say that the prosecution case against nurse Lucy Letby doesn't stand up to scrutiny. More info
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Lucy Letby convictions under scrutiny as experts challenge trial evidence in new ITV doc
An ITV documentary, Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?, features medical experts questioning the evidence that convicted nurse Lucy Letby of killing seven babies and attempting to kill seven others, as her legal team pursues a potential appeal Several medical experts criticise the 'deeply disturbing' and 'flawed' evidence used to convict killer nurse Lucy Letby in a new documentary on TV tonight. Letby was found guilty of murdering seven newborn babies and attempting to kill seven others and was handed 15 whole life sentences, meaning she will never be released from prison. But in ITV 's Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? her barrister Mark McDonald says: 'There's no direct evidence, no one saw her do anything wrong.' It comes after it was reported that 'scared' Letby can't lose weight as she hoards 'junk food' behind bars. He adds: 'In the trial, they started from the starting point, 'She has done harm. Now we have to show how she has harmed each just going to put together a theory.' And she was convicted on that theory.' Two appeals have failed. But in February a panel of medical experts, led by Dr Shoo Lee, found Letby did not murder any babies. Her defence team has now submitted an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Dr Neena Modi, ex-president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, says: 'It's been deeply disturbing that one can have such a... tremendously important trial that seems to have been conducted with so many flaws.' One alleged flaw is a shift chart, used to prove Letby was always present when the babies were harmed at the Countess of Chester Hospital from 2015 to 2016. But statistician Professor Jane Hutton says some incidents, when Letby was not working, were left off, adding: 'This is a summary that is so crude it can only be described as grossly misleading.' It was also claimed Letby must have caused one baby's death by removing a breathing tube. But several experts say the tubes can be dislodged for a 'variety of reasons'. Notes by Letby, including the phrase 'I am evil I did this' were presented as confessional in court. But it is claimed she was encouraged by hospital staff to write down her feelings to help cope with stress. It is also alleged the prosecution's lead expert, Dr Dewi Evans, has altered his view about how three babies died since the case. But he denies this, saying his evidence has been agreed by a jury and the Court of Appeal. He also argues the case by Dr Shoo Lee's panel has not been held to scrutiny in court and contains significant factual errors. The CPS said: 'Lucy Letby was convicted of 15 separate counts following two jury trials. 'In May 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed Letby's leave to appeal on all grounds, rejecting her argument that expert prosecution evidence was flawed.' It added that it is considering police files on further baby deaths and collapses at the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women's Hospital.
