Lucy Letby

Lucy Letby (born January 4, 1990) is a British serial killer. She was arrested in July 2018 following a series of baby deaths, which occurred between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital when she was a nurse there. In August 2023, Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others. She was sentenced to a whole life order on August 21. She received 15 whole life orders, one for each charge.

Life

Letby was born in Hereford, England, on January 4, 1990. She learnt at multiple schools in the city, including at Hereford Sixth Form College. She pursued her education in nursing at the University of Chester, where she also worked as a student nurse during her three years of training, carrying out placements at Liverpool Women's Hospital and the Countess of Chester Hospital. She was the first member of her family to study at university, and graduated in September 2011.

Post-trial controversy
Letby has always maintained her innocence and had the support of friends and some former colleagues. Some medical, statistical and scientific experts have also expressed doubts about her convictions.

Accusations of harassment

Expert witness Dewi Evans has said that he has received harassment following his testimony at the trial. Speaking to the BBC about this, he described it as being similar to intimidation received by doctors from supporters of outed abusers in the 1980s and 1990s. He argued that some found it hard accepting that a killer could be a "young, white, English nurse from a respectable background":

Impact on victims' families

A barrister for the infants' families has described the doubts about the convictions as "conspiracies, some of which are grossly offensive and distressing for the families of her victims". The families' barristers called for the Thirlwall Inquiry to be publicly livestreamed, arguing:

However, the inquiry was unconvinced of the need to livestream and rejected the application.

Court reporter observations

BBC special correspondent Judith Moritz, one of only four reporters allowed in the courtroom, told The Sunday Times that the debate over the conviction is missing key aspects the jury saw during the trial. Moritz said that she was troubled by Letby's behaviour and lack of emotion about the deaths of the infants, but was "tearful" when discussing herself, the loss of her job, and the correspondence with the married doctor. Letby did sob in court when recounting the death of an infant. 

Moritz also said that Letby contradicted herself and tried to "out-lawyer" the prosecutor. Observers in the courtroom during her original trial said that Letby was "aloof and indifferent" and claimed she had no recollection of the incidents, contributing to the appearance of her guilt.

References

Category:1990 births
Category:Living people
Category:British nurses
Category:English murderers
Category:People from Hereford
Category:British serial killers
Category:British people convicted of murder