Families of Lucy Letby victims hit out at calls to suspend public inquiry

Families of the victims of convicted child serial killer Lucy Letby have hit out at calls for the public inquiry into her crimes to be suspended.

They have also dismissed as “deception” Letby’s claims to have new evidence of her innocence.

Senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where nurse Letby killed seven babies and attempted to kill seven more, have added their voices to her call for Lady Justice Thirlwall’s inquiry to be paused.

In a submission to the inquiry, they wrote: “There now appears to be a real likelihood that there are alternative explanations for these deaths and unexplained collapses, namely poor clinical management and care and natural causes.”

Their barrister Kate Blackwell KC told the inquiry there is “a real possibility” Letby’s convictions may return to the Court of Appeal “and there be quashed”.

Continuing with the inquiry, she said, could potentially lead to unfairness.

Families criticise senior managers’ move

On Monday, Letby’s solicitors had written to the inquiry claiming that its final report – due to be published in the autumn – would “not only be redundant but likely unreliable” unless it was stopped pending the outcome of her battle to clear her name.

But in their own statement to the inquiry, a group of families of the babies attacked by Letby criticised the move by the senior managers.

“Their lack of insight into their own mistakes is both remarkable and shameful,” the group said.

They added: “Throughout the hearings, they consistently sought to defend their actions and to deflect blame on to others.

“And they are now attempting, opportunistically, to suspend the inquiry’s work pending Letby’s third attempt to appeal her convictions.”

They described that as “a bold and misguided move”.

“From the families’ perspective, the only fair and sensible course is for you to complete your work and submit your report based on the established facts,” they added.

Inquiry’s scope

The inquiry was set up to examine how Letby was able to attack babies and the wider culture within the NHS.

It does not examine any questions of Letby’s guilt or innocence. She is currently serving 15 whole life terms in prison.

Last month, an international panel of neonatologists and paediatric specialists, assembled by Letby’s defence team, said bad medical care and natural causes were the reasons for the collapses and deaths attributed to Letby on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in 2015 and 2016.