Introduction
British police are responding to criticism of their investigation and prosecution of Lucy Letby, a nurse convicted of murdering seven infants in her care, actions that have garnered international attention.Context
Letby was sentenced to life in prison in 2023 after being found guilty of the murders, alongside attempts to murder eight more infants, all occurring between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northern England. At 35 years old, she has been labeled Britain's worst serial child killer in modern history, even as she continues to assert her innocence and has been denied permission to appeal her convictions.Developments
Her lawyer, Mark McDonald, submitted two reports from prominent international medical experts to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), claiming these findings challenge the validity of her convictions.In response, Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, overseeing the investigation, emphasized the thoroughness of the police inquiry, noting that it incorporated insights from various medical professionals. He described the investigation as unparalleled in its scope, complexity, and magnitude. Hughes stated that both the case and trial process have been subjected to rigorous examination, having been evaluated by two juries and several appeal judges.
McDonald has asserted that the new evidence presented to the CCRC indicates that Letby's convictions are now questionable, with one expert group asserting that no infants were murdered. The CCRC is currently reviewing Letby's application but has not specified a timeline for a decision.
Despite the ongoing scrutiny, the police are continuing their investigation, while the chair of a public inquiry into the infant deaths has called for her investigation to be paused. Hughes also remarked that the police would refrain from engaging in the extensive discussions prevalent on social media and in the press, out of respect for the families affected by the tragedy.