In a surprising turn of events, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that former nurse Lucy Letby will not face any new charges related to the alleged murders or attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby, 36, is currently serving a 15 whole-life prison sentence after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between 2015 and 2016.
The CPS had been considering 11 additional charges against Letby, including the alleged murder of a baby at the Countess of Chester Hospital and another at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. However, the CPS has stated that the evidence did not meet the required standard to bring forth new charges.
This decision has been met with a mix of reactions. Cheshire Constabulary, the police force that has been investigating Letby since 2017, expressed surprise and disappointment at the CPS’s decision. The force insisted that the announcement does not “affect or undermine” Letby’s existing convictions and that its investigation into hospital bosses continues.
Letby has always maintained her innocence, claiming that the babies died or became seriously ill due to poor care and under-qualified staff at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Her legal team has twice unsuccessfully attempted to overturn her convictions at the Court of Appeal in London, and the case has been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice.
A panel of experts instructed by Letby’s lawyers has concluded that the 17 newborns had instead suffered from “bad medical care” or deteriorated as a result of natural causes. This finding has been welcomed by senior Conservative MP David Davis, who has described Letby as the victim of “one of the major injustices of modern times”.
The CPS has stated that it remains confident in the charges that resulted in Letby’s conviction and has offered to meet with the families of the affected babies to explain the decision. The investigation into the hospital’s leadership, including three former senior leaders who were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, is ongoing.
This development in the high-profile case has once again raised questions about the integrity of the criminal justice system and the potential for miscarriages of justice. As the CCRC continues its review of Letby’s case, the public and legal community await the outcome with keen interest.
