Lucy Letby lawyer to present 'fresh' evidence that 'totally undermines prosecution case'
A barrister representing convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby is to present "fresh" evidence to a review body. Mark McDonald, who represents the former neo-natal nurse, will visit the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) offices in Birmingham.
There, he will deliver the findings of an international panel made up of 14 neonatologists and paediatric specialists. In the new evidence, the panel say that natural causes and poor medical care were the causes for infants collapsing at the Countess of Chester neonatal unit.
A separate report is also being passed to the CCRC which claims that insulin tests carried out on two infants, who a jury found Letby poisoned, were reliable.
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The evidence from the international panel has been rejected by lawyers representing victims' families, however, who slammed it as "full of analytical holes" and called it a "rehash" of evidence previously heard in court.
But Mr McDonald says he is also to present another report, on Child F and Child L. The report is from seven experts including two consultant neonatologists, a paediatric endocrinologist, and a retired professor in forensic toxicology.
This report claims the jury were misled in several "important areas", which included evidential and medical facts, and says important information on the procedure for insulin testing was not submitted. It also said that due to antibodies interfering with the outcome the biomechanical test 'can give rise to falsely high insulin results'.
The authors said: 'Our inescapable conclusion is that this evidence significantly undermines the validity of the assertions made about the insulin and C-peptide testing presented in court.'
The 35-year-old from Hereford is currently serving 15 whole life orders, meaning she will spend her whole life in prison, after being convicted in two trials at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others. She made two attempts on one victim between June 2015 and June 2016.
Speaking of both reports, Mr McDonald said: 'The fresh evidence totally undermines the prosecution case at trial.
'This is the largest international review of neonatal medicine ever undertaken, the results of which show Lucy Letby's convictions are no longer safe.
'The conclusions of the report on Babies F and L clearly demonstrate that the case must go back to the Court of Appeal as a matter of urgency. I hope the CCRC will realise this and refer the case without undue delay.
'Lucy Letby is currently serving 15 whole-life terms in prison, when overwhelming independent expert evidence indicates that no babies were murdered.'
However, Richard Baker KC made written submissions to the inquiry saying that the families of Letby's victims were concerned medical evidence was being presented at press conferences.
He added it 'raises the obvious suspicion that the priority for Letby and her supporters is to generate maximum publicity for her cause rather than approaching the issues that form the basis of any appeal in a reasoned way'.
The mother of Child C told the inquiry: 'The media PR campaign aimed to garner public sympathy for Letby demonstrates a complete lack of understanding for Letby's crimes and the complexity of the case.
'The misinformed and inaccurate media circus surrounding this case, our son and the other babies is potentiating the distress of all of the families involved.'
Cheshire Constabulary is still reviewing deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neonatal units of Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women's Hospital during Letby's time as a nurse from 2012 to 2016.
Senior investigating officer Det Supt Paul Hughes said: 'The investigation into the actions of Lucy Letby, the trial process and medical experts continues to face scrutiny and criticism, much of it ill-informed and based on a very partial knowledge of the facts and totality of evidence presented at court and at the Court of Appeal.
'This case has been rigorously and fairly tested through two juries and subsequently scrutinised by two sets of appeal court judges.
'Lucy Letby's trial was one of the longest running murder trials in British criminal history with the jury diligently carrying out their deliberations for more than 100 hours.
'As the case unfolded, multiple medical experts, specialising in areas of paediatric radiology, paediatric pathology, haematology, paediatric neurology and paediatric endocrinology and two main medical experts (consultant paediatricians), were enlisted to ensure that we carried out as thorough an investigation as possible.
'All are highly regarded in their area of expertise and were cross-examined whilst giving their evidence in court.
'The details of the case are clear and have been widely reported on.'
He went on: 'It is out of a deep sense of respect for the parents of the babies that we have not and will not get drawn into the widespread commentary and speculation online and in the media. They have suffered greatly and continue to do so as this case plays out in a very public forum.
'Cheshire Constabulary is ready to support the CCRC and any appropriate review processes in order to inform any questions that may arise.'
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