FancyMancy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2017
- Messages
- 6,740
https://ancient-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=78528
The following is from 2 live news articles; and videos from BBC News and other programmes, ITV News, Channel 4 News and Sky News; and some full or parts of podcasts. Details are repeated, i.e. in the different news programmes by the different channels/stations and in each episode by the same channel/station, but there are also different things, as well.
BREAKING Lucy Letby guilty of murdering seven babies
18/08/2023
Nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies, making her the UK's most prolific killer of babies in modern times. She killed the babies by injecting them with air between June 2015 and June 2016, when she was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The verdicts
The jury has returned the following verdicts in the case of Lucy Letby.
Children A and B
A twin boy and girl - Child A died, while his sister survived.
Count 1: Murder of Child A
Guilty
Count 2: Attempted murder of Child B
Guilty
Child C
A baby boy.
Count 3: Murder of Child C
Guilty
Child D
A baby girl.
Count 4: Murder of Child D
Guilty
Children E and F
Twin boys - Child E died, while his brother survived.
Count 5: Murder of Child E
Guilty
Count 6: Attempted murder of Child F
Guilty
Child G
A baby girl, who survived. Letby faces three charges for allegedly attacking her.
Count 7: Attempted murder of Child G
Guilty
Count 8: Attempted murder of Child G
Guilty
Count 9: Attempted murder of Child G
Not guilty
Child H
A baby girl who survived.
Count 10: Attempted murder of Child H
Not guilty
Count 11: Attempted murder of Child H
No verdict
Child I
A baby girl who died.
Count 12: Murder of Child I
Guilty
Child J
A baby girl who survived.
Count 13: Attempted murder of Child J
No verdict
Child K
A baby girl - she survived, but later died.
Count 14: Attempted murder of Child K
No verdict
Child L and M
Twin boys, both survived, but Child M was left brain-damaged.
Count 15: Attempted murder of Child L
Guilty
Count 16: Attempted murder of Child M
Guilty
Child N
A baby boy, who survived.
Count 17: Attempted murder of Child N
Guilty
Count 18: Attempted murder of Child N
No verdict
Count 19: Attempted murder of Child N
No verdict
Children O and P
Two of three triplet boys, both died.
Count 20: Murder of Child O
Guilty
Count 21: Murder of Child P
Guilty
Child Q
A baby boy who survived.
Count 22: Attempted murder of Child Q
No verdict
Judith Moritz is reporting from Manchester Crown Court.
Letby also guilty of attempting to murder another six babies
Letby has also been found guilty of attempting to murder six babies in the hospital’s neonatal unit, with methods including deliberately injecting them with air, overfeeding them and poisoning them with insulin. Letby, aged 33, faced 22 charges in total. Letby was found not guilty of two counts of attempted murder and the jury could not reach verdicts on six charges of attempted murder. The jurors deliberated for 110 hours, 26 minutes.
Gasps from families in court as trial ends
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
There were gasps in court from the babies' families. Some jurors also appeared upset as they were discharged from service. The prosecution have indicated that they want 28 days to consider whether to seek a retrial on the six undecided counts (which relate to four babies). They have until 15 September to make this decision.
Who were the babies Letby killed?
Court restrictions prevent us from naming the babies or giving any details that would identify them; however, we can report that of the seven killed, five were boys and two were girls. Two of the boys were brothers from a set of triplets.
Letby not in court
Lucy Letby was not in court today - there were two dock officers in the dock without her. Her parents were not there either. The babies’ parents were in the public gallery and all legal teams were assembled.
Who is Lucy Letby? - Letby's mugshot released
Following her conviction, Cheshire Constabulary has now released the most recent custody photo of Lucy Letby. This was taken in November 2020 as she awaited trial for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of ten more.
Police handout
Lucy Letby was born on 4 January 1990 and grew up in Hereford with her mother and father, John and Susan, who have watched much of their daughter's trial unfold from the public gallery. She attended a local school and sixth-form college. Letby told the jurors she had always wanted to work with children and chose A-levels "which would best support that career".
Letby, who was the first person in her family to go to university, studied nursing for three years at the University of Chester. During her studies, she completed numerous work placements - the majority were based at the Countess of Chester Hospital. She qualified as a band five nurse in September 2011 and went on to start working full-time at the hospital from January 2012 before qualifying to work with intensive care babies in the spring of 2015.
Letby's mother sobbed 'this can't be right' as verdicts delivered
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
The verdicts have been delivered over several hearings, as the jury deliberated for more than 110 hours. Reporting restrictions have now been lifted, allowing us to report all verdicts. When the first verdicts came in last week, Letby sobbed in the dock. At the more recent verdict hearings this week, she has refused to appear in court.
Letby’s own parents were in court for the previous verdict hearings - her father sat with his head bowed. Her mother sobbed loudly “this can’t be right - you can’t be serious”. They were supported by one of Letby’s friends. The trial lasted for more than 10 months, and it’s believed to be the longest murder trial in the UK. Letby becomes the most prolific baby killer in modern times.
A most distressing case, says judge
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
As the judge discharged the jury, he told them "this has been a most distressing and upsetting case". One of the babies' family members left the courtroom when the jury foreman said it was not possible to return verdicts on six remaining counts.
A couple of jurors appeared upset. The judge told them they are excused from serving on juries in future. He thanked them for their service and said they were welcome to return to court (but are not obliged to) when he passes sentence on Monday.
What this case is about
PA Media
To recap, Letby was accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. The jury heard nine months of evidence, including claims Letby deliberately injected babies with air, force fed others milk and poisoned some with insulin. Letby insisted she did not harm any of the babies and pointed to issues of poor hygiene and staffing levels in the hospital.
The prosecuting barrister said Letby had been on shift at the time when each baby collapsed. He also included 11 other common themes, from unusual skin discolouration to the babies collapsing just after having been visited by parents.
'Utter torture' for families as Letby refuses to return to dock
Lucy Letby has refused to enter court to hear some verdicts and will not appear for her sentencing on Monday.
It'll be "utter torture" for the victims' families that she will not be in the dock to hear her fate, says our correspondent Katerina Vittozzi, who is at Manchester Crown Court.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Wu52HoznQgP6
Katerina Vittozzi says it will be a "bitter pill for them to swallow" after a 10-month trial that has "pushed them to the physical and mental limit". It has been "utterly sickening" for the families to hear Letby consistently deny hurting their children for the best part of a year, Vittozzi says.
Letby did utmost to conceal crimes and varied how she hurt babies - prosecutor
We've just received some reaction from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to today's verdicts against Lucy Letby.
The nurse "was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies... little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst," says Pascale Jones, senior Crown Prosecutor with the complex casework unit of CPS Mersey-Cheshire. Letby "did her utmost to conceal her crimes, by varying the ways in which she repeatedly harmed babies in her care", Jones said. "She sought to deceive her colleagues and pass off the harm she caused as nothing more than a worsening of each baby’s existing vulnerability."
Letby to be sentenced on Monday
The sentencing of Lucy Letby will be at 10am on Monday 21 August.
Letby used air, milk and fluids to kill... she weaponised her craft - prosecutor
SWNS
More now from Pascale Jones, prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, who has released a statement. "In her hands, innocuous substances like air, milk, fluids - or medication like insulin - would become lethal. She perverted her learning and weaponised her craft to inflict harm, grief and death," Jones says. "Time and again, she harmed babies, in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families."
Jones goes on to say that "parents were exposed to her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion". She says thoughts are with the babies' families.
Ongoing investigation into Letby's time at another hospital
Liverpool Women's Hospital has released a statement following the verdicts. Letby worked at the hospital for several months on a placement. It said in a statement:
"Following the recent trial verdicts, our thoughts are with the parents and families of the victims and everyone who has been affected. As detailed in news reports and information provided by Cheshire Police, there is an ongoing investigation relating to the full period of Lucy Letby’s career, including training placements at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, which took place between October – December 2012 and January – February 2015.
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust has been liaising with Cheshire Police throughout this investigation and we will continue to do so going forward. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any more information at this time. Any further details will be shared by Cheshire Police in due course. Anyone relevant to this ongoing investigation is aware and they have been supported throughout."
BREAKING Hospital bosses ignored months of doctors' warnings about Letby
Judith Moritz, Jonathan Coffey & Michael Buchanan
BBC
Dr Stephen Brearey, lead consultant on the neonatal unit, raised concerns about her in October 2015
The lead consultant at the neonatal unit where Lucy Letby worked has told the BBC that hospital bosses failed to investigate allegations against the nurse and tried to silence doctors. The hospital also delayed calling the police despite months of warnings that the nurse may have been killing babies. The unit's lead consultant Dr Stephen Brearey first raised concerns about Letby in October 2015.
No action was taken and she went on to attack five more babies, killing two. BBC Panorama and BBC News have been investigating how Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long.
We spoke to the lead consultant in the unit - who first raised concerns about Letby - and examined hospital documents. The investigation reveals a catalogue of failures and raises serious questions about how the hospital responded to the deaths. You can read it in full here.
An 'utterly horrifying case'
Jonathan Storer, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said:
"This is an utterly horrifying case. Like everyone who followed the trial, I have been appalled by Letby's callous crimes. To the families of the victims - I hope your unimaginable suffering is eased in some way by the verdicts. Our thoughts remain with you. Our prosecution team and police investigators have my respect and gratitude. These convictions could not have happened without their dedication to securing justice."
How Letby was on shift when the babies died
Letby was charged with murder and attempted murder against a total of 17 different babies. She was found guilty of murdering seven babies (babies A, C, D, E, I, O and P) and attempting to murder another six babies.
The jury were undecided in relation to the attempted murder charges against babies J, K and Q. Letby was found not guilty of attempting to murder baby H, and the jury were also undecided on one count of attempting to murder baby H.
BBC
'Today is not a time for celebration. There are no winners in this case'
Following the verdict, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Evans, said:
"Today is not a time for celebration. There are no winners in this case. Our focus right now is very much on the families of the babies. The compassion and strength shown by the parents – and wider family members – has been overwhelming. Today is all about them – and we must not lose sight of that. I cannot begin to imagine how the families in this case feel today. We will all take some time to reflect on today's verdict both the guilty and the not guilty verdicts.
I would like to say thank you to the families for putting their trust in us and I hope that this process has provided them with some of the answers they have been waiting for. We will continue to work closely with each of the families in the days and weeks ahead in order to ensure they have the support they all require in light of everything they have experienced. My thoughts – and those of the whole prosecution team – remain with them at this incredibly difficult time."
DCI Evans added:
"The details of this case are truly crushing. A trained nurse responsible for caring and protecting tiny, premature babies; a person who was in a position of trust, she abused that trust in the most unthinkable way. I cannot begin to understand what the families have had to endure over the past seven or eight years but we have been humbled by their composure and resilience throughout this whole process."
BREAKING 'I am truly sorry' - former hospital CEO
The former boss of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who was in charge at the time of the babies' murders, has released a statement.
"All my thoughts are with the children at the heart of this case and their families and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time," says Tony Chambers, the ex-chief executive. I am truly sorry for what all the families have gone through.
The crimes that have been committed are appalling and I am deeply saddened by what has come to light. The trial, and the lengthy police investigation, have shown the complex nature of the issues raised. I will co-operate fully and openly with any post-trial inquiry."
Countess of Chester Hospital
Find support on BBC Action Line website
This is an extremely distressing case so if you, or someone you know, need help after reading about it, the details of organisations offering assistance can be found on the BBC Action Line website.
We need an inquiry, says ex-medical director of Chester hospital
Ian Harvey, former medical director at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where the babies were targed, has put out a statement saying: "My thoughts are with the babies whose treatment has been the focus of the trial and with their parents and relatives who have been through something unimaginable and I am sorry for all their suffering. As medical director, I was determined to keep the baby unit safe and support our staff. I wanted the reviews and investigations carried out, so that we could tell the parents what had happened to their children. I believe there should be an inquiry that looks at all events leading up to this trial and I will help it in whatever way I can.”
Watch the moment Letby was arrested for the first time
Early in the morning on 3 July 2018, Lucy Letby was led away from her Chester home in handcuffs after being arrested for the first time. She was initially released on police bail, but was subsequently arrested twice more. The 33-year-old was re-arrested on 10 June 2019 and then for a third time on 10 November 2020 where she was then ultimately charged in November 2020 as the police investigation developed.
The attacks happened in 2015 and 2016. Letby has been remanded in custody since November 2020 and has spent time in four different prisons. Cheshire Police has released video of the moment Lucy Letby was arrested at her home and taken away in a police car.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/9DQgBqL1Ijuz
Liverpool hospital investigating Letby's time there
Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies who were being looked after on a neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital. A BBC Panorama has been investigating how Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long - more here. It found two other babies died while Letby was working at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation "relating to the full period of Lucy Letby’s career", including training placements at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. These took place between October and December 2012, and January and February 2015, the statement says.The trust will continue to liaise with police, and due to the ongoing investigation, it says it cannot provide any further details at this time.
We've just heard from Cheshire Constabulary who investigated the case. Det Ch Insp Nicola Evans was speaking on the steps of Manchester Crown Court.
Families' dignity has been truly overwhelming, says police
BBC
DCI Evans says it's been a long and emotional journey for all of the families in this case. She says all of their babies "will forever be in our hearts", and thanks the families "for their exceptional resilience and strength throughout this entire investigation". "Their composure and dignity in this trial has been truly overwhelming," she says.
We've also just heard from Crown Prosecution Service's Pascale Jones, who says Letby did her utmost to conceal crimes by varying the ways she harmed babies.
'Innocuous substances became lethal' - prosecutor
BBC
Pascale Jones from the CPS says: "Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst." She says "innocuous substances like air, milk, fluids - or medication like insulin - would become lethal" in the hands of Letby. "She perverted her learning and weaponised her craft to inflict harm, grief and death," Jones says.
"Time and again, she harmed babies, in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families. "Parents were exposed to her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion. Too many of them returned home to empty baby rooms. Many surviving children live with permanent consequences of her assaults upon their lives."
A very dark episode within the history of the NHS
Our national correspondent Tom Parmenter gave this update on-air from outside the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Lucy Letby worked.
It is one of the most upsetting and distressing cases ever heard in British courts, and a very dark episode within the history of the NHS.
To hear that one of the nurses who was working here could be guilty of such unimaginable crimes is something that will send shockwaves through the NHS, and through this city.
This police investigation and subsequent trial have taken many years. Question marks and allegations have hung over this working hospital - a fairly standard general hospital, known locally as the Countess in this part of the northwest of England.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/48n7IcLfH1vF
There are major questions as to why colleagues who were trying to blow the whistle, who were trying to tell their management that something was wrong, that they were suspicious of what Lucy Letby was doing. Major questions about why those whistleblowing procedures did not work as they should have done, and why Lucy Letby was allowed to continue working.
And as we know through the shocking detail that was heard over the course of the last ten months, babies died after those whistleblowing concerns had been raised with management.
Throughout all this period, this hospital has continued to serve the people of Cheshire, of North Wales and Merseyside, as it does every single day.
But there will be major questions for the hospital management about what happened and how Lucy Letby was permitted to continue nursing after those allegations had been raised.
Many of the details over the course of the afternoon you may find distressing and upsetting.
But that has been the nature of the court case that has played out. They have gone through the individual care of all of those babies, some 17 babies at the heart of this trial.
All of the babies involved in this case should now be seven years old or so, and thriving in life in primary school. But that chance, that opportunity was denied them by the actions of Lucy Letby.
We are stunned, says spokesperson for families
Janet Moore, family liaison officer, has been speaking on behalf of the babies' families. “We are quite simply stunned”, she says. “To lose a baby, or have a baby harmed in these circumstances, is unimaginable.
'We may never know why this has happened'
BBC
Moore, the police family liaison officer, tells reporters that some families did not receive the verdict they were expecting - possibly referring to the six charges that the jury were undecided on. She calls this a "bittersweet result".
Familes need time to come to terms with verdicts
Janet Moore, the family liaison officer, ends by thanking the investigation and prosecution teams. The search for the truth remains "at the forefront of everyone's mind", she says, adding that the families "will forever be grateful". She says they ask for time in peace to process what has happened, "and to come to terms with today's verdict".
Jury seen leaving in tears: Outside Manchester Crown Court
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter in Manchester
There is a huge media presence outside Manchester Crown Court this afternoon, as reporters wait for statements from the police and Crown Prosecution Service.
It has been a lengthy trial that has been closely followed by the press - but strict reporting restrictions over the last week mean no one has been able to report any of the partial verdicts that have been delivered.
Several members of the jury were seen leaving the court in tears - it has been a huge emotional burden for them to sift through thousands of pages of evidence and return the verdicts they have.
Nicholas Johnson KC, prosecuting, has asked the court for 28 days to consider whether a retrial would be sought for the remaining six counts of attempted murder.
While Letby will now likely spend the rest of her life behind bars, for the families of those four babies who did not get a verdict, it will be difficult news for them to take.
The timeline of Letby's crimes
BBC
Will Letby spend the rest of her life in prison?
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, outside Manchester Crown Court
Lucy Letby has been convicted of the murder of seven babies and attempting to murder six more, making her the UK's most prolific killer of children in modern British history.
She will be sentenced on Monday at 10am - with Letby already saying, via her defence barrister, that she will not attend the courtroom.
Because she has been convicted of murder, the judge must impose a life sentence, but there is the question of what would be Letby's minimum tariff (the minimum amount of time she must spend in prison before she is eligible for release).
Depending on the facts of the offence, the starting point for the minimum time served in prison ranges from 15 to 30 years.
But, Letby may be sentenced to a whole life tariff - meaning she would spend the rest of her life behind bars, which can be applied in cases such as a planned murder of two or more people.
The judge will also take into account the aggravating factors that make the sentence even more serious. In this case, he will consider Letby's level of premeditation, and the fact the victims were particularly vulnerable because they were newborn babies.
He will also take into account the fact that Letby was working as a nurse - and therefore providing a public service - when she murdered the infants, abusing her role and the trust the public placed in her.
Letby could become only the third woman alive to be handed a whole life order during sentencing on Monday.
She would join the ranks of Rosemary West, Joanna Christine Dennehy and deceased moors murderer Myra Hindley.
Chester MP calls for public inquiry
The Labour MP for the city of Chester says she has written to the health secretary to call for an independent public inquiry into the Lucy Letby case.
In a statement published on X, formally known as Twitter, Samantha Dixon MP says "the time is right to seek the reassurance that no one could ever again perpetrate crimes as hideous as these."
Paying tribute to Cheshire Police, Ms Dixon adds that "for the families at the heart of this, I feel intense sadness and stand beside them in their grief and sorrow.
"Too many people now live with the consequences of the catastrophic harm caused by Letby.
"An attempt on a child's life is one of the most depraved acts a person can commit. And the death of a child is the hardest burden to bear."
Ms Dixon continues: "The families whose children were killed and harmed, the community I represent and families across the country need to know their children are protected and safe.
"The Government should now institute a full, independent and public inquiry into the circumstances in which these crimes were perpetrated."
The longest murder trial in British legal history explained
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Mx1vLzRg9ODq
BREAKING Government orders independent inquiry
The government has ordered in independent inquiry following today's verdicts against Lucy Letby. It will look into the "circumstances behind the murders and attempted murders of babies at Countess of Chester Hospital to help ensure families get the answers they need".
No officers will come out investigation 'the same people' after case of this scale
The investigation has been a "long and very difficult process" for the officers involved, said news correspondent Katerina Vittozzi.
The team have been working on "a case the scale of which none of these officers have ever worked on before".
She said you could "see the emotion of the face" of deputy senior investigation officer Nicola Evans when she spoke today.
"Nicola Evans... telling us that she didn't think any officer involved in this case would come out of this the same person they were before - and it's not often you hear that sort of emotion coming from an investigation team."
Their work began with a "simple letter" written to police from the Countess of Chester Hospital administration team, reporting a spike in deaths in the neonatal ward.
"They said it was a very difficult moment when they had to knock on the doors of the families involved in this case and tell them that they believed that their baby had died or been attacked, and that was inflicted harm, and that the person that they suspected of it was a nurse who was on that ward."
But DCI Evan's focus has always been on those families, Vittozzi said.
"This is there loss, these were their children, this is their tragedy that they will have to bear," she said.
"It has been very distressing to see families in court, having to listen to the final moments of their children's lives or moments when their children collapsed and needed urgent resuscitation."
She continued: "But then also to have to find out that it was a women that they trusted who was behind these acts of harm. And today to be denied that opportunity to see Lucy Letby in the dock - it is absolutely horrendous for them"
Police to review 4,000 neonatal admissions at Chester and Liverpool hospitals
Detectives at Cheshire Constabulary believe Lucy Letby may be responsible for other attacks on babies. Det Supt Paul Hughes says police are reviewing all 4,000 admissions of babies into neonatal units at the two hospitals where Letby worked between 2012 and 2016 - the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
"This does not mean we are investigating all 4,000," he says. "It just means that we are committed to a thorough review of every admission from a medical perspective, to ensure that nothing is missed throughout the entirety of her employment as a nurse. We would be foolish if we were to think we have gathered all cases that Lucy Letby could have touched in one go."
Lucy Letby: UK's most prolific baby killer in modern times
SWNS
As we've been reporting, Lucy Letby has been convicted of the murder of seven babies - more than any other serial killer in modern times. This is how her crimes compare to that of other murderers of children:
Lucy Letby's first police interview
https://www.bitchute.com/video/AdUX78CuTjdp
Cheshire Constabulary has released a clip from Letby's first police interview which took place on 3 July 2018.
The nurse has been found guilty of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of another six babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The jury was undecided on six other counts of attempted murder.
NHS chief nursing officer: Colleagues are shocked and sickened
Dame Ruth May, NHS England's chief nursing officer, has just given her reaction to the Letby verdict.
She's described Letby's crimes as "appalling", she echoes words we've heard a few times this afternoon, calling it a "terrible betrayal of trust".
"Colleagues within the nursing profession and across the health service have been shocked and sickened to learn what she did, actions beyond belief to the nurses and staff working so hard to save lives and care for patients," she added.
"On behalf of all of us I would like to express our profound apologies to the families for all they have been through."
She also welcomed the government's decision to launch an independent inquiry, as we reported a few moments ago.
Dame Ruth has been England's chief nursing officer since 2019 - a few years after Letby's crimes.
Whistleblowing doctor accuses hospital management of 'potentially facilitating a mass murderer'
One of the doctors involved in the trial has hit out at the managers of the Countess of Chester Hospital for "taking months" to take action against killer nurse Lucy Letby.
Writing on Facebook, Dr Ravi Jayram - who gave evidence in Letby's trial - said: "My colleagues and I have lived this for the last 8 years and the period of the trial has been the most difficult part of this. I am proud of all the frontline colleagues with whom I work, for managing to carry on providing excellent care to babies and children under such pressure.
"My heart goes out to the families of the babies affected by this although nothing can ever undo the evil that was inflicted on their children."
He added: "There are things that need to come out about why it took several months from concerns being raised to the top brass before any action was taken to protect babies, and why from that time it then took almost a year for those highly paid senior managers to allow the police to be involved.
"The truth of what happened during that time will shock you to the core as it comes out. The safety of patients should come above any risk of reputational damage and sometimes the right decisions might be difficult and unpopular, but executive-level managers are paid to do just that.
"There are people out there now, still earning six figure sums of tax-payers money or retired with their gold-plated pensions, who need to stand up in public to explain why they did not want to listen and do the right thing, to acknowledge that their actions potentially facilitated a mass-murderer and to apologise to the families involved in all of this.
"However, I suspect the response will be fudge and misinformation and it is now my mission moving forwards to make sure that they are held to account."
Inquiry will look at how staff's concerns were handled, says Barclay
Reuters
Health Secretary Steve Barclay says the independent inquiry, just announced by the government, "will seek to ensure the parents and families impacted get the answers they need". I am determined their voices are heard, and they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry should they wish to do so," he says. The inquiry will look at the circumstances surrounding the babies' deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital, including "how concerns raised by clinicians were dealt with", the government says.
'There was a murderer in the hospital's midst' - CPS
At a press conference earlier after the verdict, Pascale Jones from the Crown Prosecution Service said Lucy Letby "did her utmost to conceal her crimes" and used her knowledge as a nurse to "inflict harm, grief and death".
Some readers may find the details in this clip upsetting.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/5VtAsCS6Bzlf
How police caught her, from the man who led six-year probe
PA Media
The senior investigating officer in the six-year probe that led to Lucy Letby today being found guilty of murder has released a statement about how the investigation unfolded. "We had to go right back to the start, keeping an open mind and being careful not to draw any conclusions," said Det Supt Paul Hughes. "The last thing we expected to find was a suspect responsible for these deaths and non-fatal collapses. It was a long, drawn-out process but no stone was left unturned. We had to do it right - not rush it. We had to deal with this as 17 separate investigations - we are normally used to dealing with one murder or attempted murder investigation at a time let alone something on this scale.
What started out as a team of eight quickly increased and, at the height of the investigation, featured almost 70 officers and civilian staff working together. Turning up at the home of a family who have lost a baby, grieved for their loss and are trying to move on from that is difficult enough, but having to tell them that someone who was meant to be caring for their little one could ultimately be responsible for their death - is not an easy task."
New legislation could force convicts to attend their sentencing - but not in time for Letby
The justice ministry has released a statement in the last hour that, on the face of it, doesn't appear to be related to the Letby verdict.
The short statement reads that the Lord Chancellor - Justice Secretary Alex Chalk - "has been clear he wants victims to see justice delivered and for all those found guilty to hear society's condemnation at their sentencing hearing.
“Defendants can already be ordered by a judge to attend court with those who fail facing up to two years in prison.”
While there was no mention of Letby, our political correspondent Liz Bates says it appears to be about the fact she didn't turn up to court for every verdict that was delivered in recent days.
"The expectation is that she won't turn up either in court for the sentencing," Liz says.
"The rule as it stands means a person can be ordered by a judge to attend court. If they don't, they can be found in contempt of court and their sentence can be extended.
"The government plans to toughen those rules up even further. New legislation on non-attendance at sentencing hearing will also be introduced.
"But of course, that won't be in time for the Letby sentencing next week.
"That could be another difficult moment, of course, for families who have already experienced so much horrific, unimaginable trauma."
Could Letby be forced to attend her sentencing?
PA Media
Lucy Letby appeared in the dock several times since the start of the trial. She was not present today as the verdicts were delivered. On two occasions earlier this month, she was in the courtroom and sobbed loudly or cried with her head bowed, but she was last present in court on the morning of 16 August. It is believed she has at times been in the building during proceedings, but refused to come into the courtroom and instead stayed in the cells.
It is unclear whether Letby will be present on Monday morning for her sentencing. The Ministry of Justice has said that the Lord Chancellor has been clear that he wants "victims to see justice delivered and for all those found guilty to hear society’s condemnation at their sentencing hearing. Defendants can already be ordered by a judge to attend court, with those who fail facing up to two years in prison for contempt of court."
Who are John and Susan Letby?
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter at Manchester Crown Court
For 145 days of evidence and 21 days of deliberation, Lucy Letby's parents John and Susan have stood by their daughter in court.
Letby is the only child of the retired couple, who are originally from Hereford.
They have sat through hours of hearing the reality of their daughter's crimes, even relocating to Manchester to support her.
Susan grew increasingly emotional as her daughter was found guilty of murdering multiple babies.
During one set of verdicts, she broke down - whispering "You can't be serious, this can't be right" into her husband's arms - before howling as her only child was led out of court. Her anguished cries could be heard from outside the room.
But like their daughter, they were not present in court today as the final findings from the jury were reached and the judge lifted the reporting restrictions.
Podcast - Britain's most prolific child killer; nurse Lucy Letby found guilty
Lucy Letby is now the UK's most prolific child killer of modern times after being convicted of seven murders, as well as six attempted murders.
Families of her victims sobbed and comforted each other in court as the jury delivered their verdicts over several days.
On the Sky News Daily, we hear from some of the relatives as host Niall Paterson is joined by our correspondent Katerina Vittozzi, who has been following the trial at Manchester Crown Court.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/7Q9uWz2S1GjF
The NHS must learn lessons, says health minister
BBC
Talking about the government inquiry, the UK's care minister Helen Whately said: "The important thing here is something like this must never happen again and of course the NHS must learn lessons.
"One of the things here is to make this can be done at pace, with action to be taken quickly", she continued, when asked why the government opted for a non-statutory inquiry which has fewer legal powers. "A non-statutory inquiry can happen more quickly and be more flexible to answer the questions that need to be answered." Whately says one thing she thinks should be looked into is why doctors weren't listened to when they raised concerns.
'I am evil I did this' note, card to parents: Evidence seen during Letby's trial
Jurors were presented with a mountain of evidence during Letby's nine-month trial, including witness statements, medical notes, photographs, texts, and evidence from the killer herself.
A notable moment was when the prosecution pulled up this image of a post-it note recovered from Letby's home, on which she had written: "I don't deserve to live. I killed them on purpose because I'm not good enough to care for them."
She also wrote: "I am a horrible evil person" and: "I AM EVIL I DID THIS".
Letby's defence argued the note was written by an "anguished woman in despair" at being wrongly accused - but the jury rejected this.
Letby also sent a sympathy card to the parents of one of her victims. She photographed it on her mobile phone hours before the victim's funeral. The card read: "Thinking of you today and always - sorry I cannot be there to say goodbye."
And the staff rota was an important piece of evidence. The column highlighted in purple shows that the only nurse on shift for every single incident was Lucy Letby:
One of darkest crimes ever committed in NHS - health watchdog
The UK's health watchdog has issued a statement, saying the Lucy Letby case is "almost without parallel". “It is one of the darkest crimes ever committed in our health service," says the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rob Behrens
He says evidence in the trial shows staff "repeatedly raised concerns and called for action" but "it seems that nobody listened and nothing happened", and "more babies were harmed and more babies were killed. Those who lost their children deserve to know whether Letby could have been stopped and how it was that doctors were not listened to and their concerns not addressed for so long." He calls for "significant improvements to culture and leadership across the NHS so that the voices of staff and patients can be heard, both with regard to everyday pressures and mistakes and, very exceptionally, when there are warnings of real evil".
What is a non-statutory public inquiry?
Laura Foster
Health reporter
A non-statutory public inquiry is going to be held following this case. It’s going to examine what happened and what lessons can be learned, to stop such awful crimes from happening again. A non-statutory public inquiry is set up by the government (in this case the UK one which is responsible for healthcare in England) but it doesn’t have the power to summon evidence or witnesses as can be done in a statutory one – such as the UK Covid-19 public inquiry; however, information is still usually shared when it’s needed to keep people safe from serious harm or death. That could certainly be a factor in this inquiry. Other examples of this type of inquiry include the one set up following the sentencing of Sarah Everard’s killer and the Chilcot Inquiry into the UK’s involvement in the Iraq War.
'I remember saying, oh no, it can't be nice Lucy'
Unknown
Before June 2015, there were about two or three baby deaths a year on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, but in the summer of 2015, something unusual was happening. In June alone, three babies died within the space of two weeks. The deaths were unexpected, so Dr Stephen Brearey, the lead consultant at the neonatal unit, called a meeting with the unit manager, Eirian Powell, and the hospital's director of nursing Alison Kelly.
"We tried to be as thorough as possible," Dr Brearey says. A staffing analysis revealed Lucy Letby had been on duty for all three deaths. "I think I can remember saying, 'Oh no, it can't be Lucy. Not nice Lucy,'" he says.
BBC Panorama and BBC News have been investigating how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long.
Why it's taken so long to bring Letby to justice
Lucy Letby's trial and jury deliberations have taken a very long time, and come seven years after the crimes for which she's now been convicted.
But could investigators have wrapped this up much earlier?
During his time as chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy dealt with a similar case, but involving elderly patients.
He told Sky News the Letby investigation has taken time because there's little precedent to base it on.
"It is such an unusual form of criminal behaviour, so the investigators do not really have a great deal of experience to build upon." Sir Peter said.
"The public may look at it and say, well, you know, the police were provided with the name by the hospital, but then you've got a massive job to prove every single case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"She was using air, insulin, milk - obviously all substances readily available in a hospital. You've got a huge number of staff, a hospital coming in and out, and you've got to eliminate everybody else.
"You're really operating on the edges of medical science because these are very unusual medical interventions. There's been very little research."
Sir Peter says all of that means you have to rely on a range of different experts to even start to draw any conclusions - and your experts might have very different interpretations.
"You have to do a huge amount of work to actually tie anything down," he adds.
"That's undoubtedly one of the key reasons why this investigation has taken so long, and why it took so long to come to trial."
Disappointment over the type of inquiry chosen
Former chief crown prosecutor for the North West of England, Nazir Afzal, says it's “hugely disappointing" the inquiry is non-statutory - which means it has fewer legal powers and cannot force people to testify. Speaking to Radio 4's PM programme, Afzal said “you have to compel people... I really don’t think a non-judicial inquiry has the powers to hold people to account, which is important here.
"People need to be held to account for their failures,” he continued. Meanwhile Lord Bichard, who chaired the inquiry into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, also says he's surprised it's non-statutory. Earlier the government defended this, saying a non-statutory inquiry will be quicker “and more flexible to answer the questions that need to be answered”. Lord Bichard says the bereaved families should "have a chance to meet and question the proposed chair".
The investigation - a forensic look at how Lucy Letby was caught
Sky's national correspondent Tom Parmenter has been working with our Data and Forensics team, to take a deep dive into the investigation.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/4bFB5XLXL6Pq
Emotional moments and dense medical detail
Dan O'Donoghue
At Manchester Crown Court
During the trial, we heard, often in harrowing detail, how previously stable babies collapsed and died despite the desperate efforts of doctors and nurses to save them. Much of the case centred on at times hard to follow dense medical detail, with thousands of documents shown to the jury detailing the blood gas levels, heart rate and respiratory rates of these infants, with X-rays, feeding charts, nursing and doctors’ notes also produced in evidence, but what really cut through was the humanity in this case. Clinicians fought back tears in the dock describing how they battled to save children, and parents of the 17 alleged victims spoke about the truly unimaginable pain they suffered as they saw their children deteriorate.
There was also emotion from Letby, who the defence repeatedly said was completely innocent of the crimes alleged. In the witness box, the former nurse told how her life had been destroyed, pushing her to consider suicide after these allegations were levelled at her and she was removed from front-line nursing duties in 2016.
'We are quite simply stunned' - what the victims' families have said
PA Media
The statement was read out by family liaison officer, Janet Moore
Once all the verdicts were in and could be reported, the families of Letby's victims released a joint statement, which was read outside court earlier.
Mum tells Sky News she suspects Letby harmed her baby
There have been warnings already today that Lucy Letby may have harmed far more babies than the seven she murdered, and six she attempted to murder.
Police are now reviewing the care of more than 4,000 babies.
Sky News presenter Jonathan Samuels has spoken to Lynsey Artell, who explained why she thinks Letby may have harmed her newborn in 2016.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/doJEJPN02Ciy
Countess of Chester Hospital has given a statement to Sky News in response to Lynsey's allegations.
The hospital's medical director, Dr Nigel Scawn, said the Letby case has had a profound impact on patients and the local community.
"We are extremely sorry that these crimes were committed at our hospital and our thoughts continue to be with all the families and loved ones of the babies who came to harm or died," Dr Scawn said.
"We cannot begin to understand what they have been through.
"Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services. I want to provide reassurance that every patient who accesses our services can have confidence in the care they will receive.
"And, most importantly, our thoughts are with all the families and loved ones at this very difficult time."
Management and paediatricians have questions to answer, says former Letby colleague
Lucy Letby carried on killing babies even after fellow staff members raised questions about her behaviour.
Dr John Gibbs was a consultant paediatrician at the Countess of Chester hospital while Letby worked there. He had concerns about her, and gave evidence in court.
Speaking to Sky News, Dr Gibbs accepted that there are legitimate questions about why paediatricians did not stop her as soon as concerns were raised - and why it took management so long to get police involved.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/rK7sSpMfniI1
Victim's family - 'life sentence won't be enough'
The parents of one of the babies which Lucy Letby attempted to murder has told Sky News that she put their family through hell and that what she did is going to affect them for the rest of their lives.
They want a life sentence - but say even that won't be enough for the pain and hurt she's caused.
To protect the identity of the parents, Sky News has allowed them to speak anonymously - voiced by actors.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/3yWHbEnJKTR3
How does a seemingly hard-working student become a serial killer?
Letby had been a nursing student at the Countess of Chester hospital - but it took several years for her to become the serial killer that has landed her behind bars.
Criminal psychologist Dr David Holmes discusses whether anything flipped in Letby's mind.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/AtXtbsZh4JNY
BREAKING Letby's attacks were a complete betrayal of trust, says lawyer
Pascale Jones, a lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, has also been speaking outside Manchester Crown Court.
"Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst," she said.
"In her hands, innocuous substances like air, milk or medication like insulin would become lethal.
"She perverted her learning and weaponized her craft to inflict harm, grief and death. Time and again, she harmed babies in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families."
Saying her thoughts are with the families affected, Ms Jones said parents had been exposed to Letby's "her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion. Too many of them returned home to empty baby rooms.
"Many surviving children live with permanent consequences of the assault upon their lives. Her attacks were a complete betrayal of the trust placed in her."
Chester Hospital 'deeply saddened' and 'appalled' by nurse's crimes
https://www.bitchute.com/video/T9dqXOJbBgEZ
'It's the ultimate final insult' if the convicted murderer does not attend her sentencing
Lucy Letby says she is 'determined' not to come up to the court for her sentencing, causing 'huge distress' to the victims' families.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/0vbVpr5bcxPZ
Chester Hospital doctor speaks out after killer nurse is found guilty
Dr John Gibbs is a retired consultant paediatrician who was working at Countess of Chester Hospital when Letby carried out her attacks.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/aedzhNCXd74D
ITV Evening News 18/08/23
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YMHhYYfgpLxn
ITV News at Ten
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YTnQy8CqOfnt
Podcast - PM 18/08/2023
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LcdMskZcVZ7B
BBC News at Six 18/08/23
https://www.bitchute.com/video/2LOkrMS88t9x
Channel 4 News
https://www.bitchute.com/video/d5H0frcFHeII
Panorama - Lucy Letby - the Nurse Who Killed
https://www.bitchute.com/video/UARgLNGWKcmQ
Newsnight - How did Lucy Letby Kill for So Long?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/56QFtEYpHjmu
Podcast - PM 19th
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LEKDkLvadSOD
ITV News Weekend Teatime 19/08/2023
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LEjMY6bNOjfb
ITV - What You Need to Know
https://www.bitchute.com/video/6BHJfyeMlQca
There are more things. Some include -
1) Childhood friend of Lucy Letby insists 'bubbly' baby killer is innocent
https://archive.is/qSruA
2) being put on suicide watch before the sentencing so as to avoid cheating justice
3) The text messages Lucy Letby sent as she murdered babies
https://archive.is/p3VcM
I should be uploading the lead-up to the sentencing, updates, victim impact statements and the sentencing and some reactions in the next few days or so. Of course, you can find the information online, but as the way I make such threads, I think it's both a good idea and quite important to have the things together in one place.
The following is from 2 live news articles; and videos from BBC News and other programmes, ITV News, Channel 4 News and Sky News; and some full or parts of podcasts. Details are repeated, i.e. in the different news programmes by the different channels/stations and in each episode by the same channel/station, but there are also different things, as well.
BREAKING Lucy Letby guilty of murdering seven babies
18/08/2023
Nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies, making her the UK's most prolific killer of babies in modern times. She killed the babies by injecting them with air between June 2015 and June 2016, when she was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The verdicts
The jury has returned the following verdicts in the case of Lucy Letby.
Children A and B
A twin boy and girl - Child A died, while his sister survived.
Count 1: Murder of Child A
Guilty
Count 2: Attempted murder of Child B
Guilty
Child C
A baby boy.
Count 3: Murder of Child C
Guilty
Child D
A baby girl.
Count 4: Murder of Child D
Guilty
Children E and F
Twin boys - Child E died, while his brother survived.
Count 5: Murder of Child E
Guilty
Count 6: Attempted murder of Child F
Guilty
Child G
A baby girl, who survived. Letby faces three charges for allegedly attacking her.
Count 7: Attempted murder of Child G
Guilty
Count 8: Attempted murder of Child G
Guilty
Count 9: Attempted murder of Child G
Not guilty
Child H
A baby girl who survived.
Count 10: Attempted murder of Child H
Not guilty
Count 11: Attempted murder of Child H
No verdict
Child I
A baby girl who died.
Count 12: Murder of Child I
Guilty
Child J
A baby girl who survived.
Count 13: Attempted murder of Child J
No verdict
Child K
A baby girl - she survived, but later died.
Count 14: Attempted murder of Child K
No verdict
Child L and M
Twin boys, both survived, but Child M was left brain-damaged.
Count 15: Attempted murder of Child L
Guilty
Count 16: Attempted murder of Child M
Guilty
Child N
A baby boy, who survived.
Count 17: Attempted murder of Child N
Guilty
Count 18: Attempted murder of Child N
No verdict
Count 19: Attempted murder of Child N
No verdict
Children O and P
Two of three triplet boys, both died.
Count 20: Murder of Child O
Guilty
Count 21: Murder of Child P
Guilty
Child Q
A baby boy who survived.
Count 22: Attempted murder of Child Q
No verdict
Judith Moritz is reporting from Manchester Crown Court.
Letby also guilty of attempting to murder another six babies
Letby has also been found guilty of attempting to murder six babies in the hospital’s neonatal unit, with methods including deliberately injecting them with air, overfeeding them and poisoning them with insulin. Letby, aged 33, faced 22 charges in total. Letby was found not guilty of two counts of attempted murder and the jury could not reach verdicts on six charges of attempted murder. The jurors deliberated for 110 hours, 26 minutes.
Gasps from families in court as trial ends
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
There were gasps in court from the babies' families. Some jurors also appeared upset as they were discharged from service. The prosecution have indicated that they want 28 days to consider whether to seek a retrial on the six undecided counts (which relate to four babies). They have until 15 September to make this decision.
Who were the babies Letby killed?
Court restrictions prevent us from naming the babies or giving any details that would identify them; however, we can report that of the seven killed, five were boys and two were girls. Two of the boys were brothers from a set of triplets.
Letby not in court
Lucy Letby was not in court today - there were two dock officers in the dock without her. Her parents were not there either. The babies’ parents were in the public gallery and all legal teams were assembled.
Who is Lucy Letby? - Letby's mugshot released
Following her conviction, Cheshire Constabulary has now released the most recent custody photo of Lucy Letby. This was taken in November 2020 as she awaited trial for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of ten more.
Police handout
Lucy Letby was born on 4 January 1990 and grew up in Hereford with her mother and father, John and Susan, who have watched much of their daughter's trial unfold from the public gallery. She attended a local school and sixth-form college. Letby told the jurors she had always wanted to work with children and chose A-levels "which would best support that career".
Letby, who was the first person in her family to go to university, studied nursing for three years at the University of Chester. During her studies, she completed numerous work placements - the majority were based at the Countess of Chester Hospital. She qualified as a band five nurse in September 2011 and went on to start working full-time at the hospital from January 2012 before qualifying to work with intensive care babies in the spring of 2015.
Letby's mother sobbed 'this can't be right' as verdicts delivered
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
The verdicts have been delivered over several hearings, as the jury deliberated for more than 110 hours. Reporting restrictions have now been lifted, allowing us to report all verdicts. When the first verdicts came in last week, Letby sobbed in the dock. At the more recent verdict hearings this week, she has refused to appear in court.
Letby’s own parents were in court for the previous verdict hearings - her father sat with his head bowed. Her mother sobbed loudly “this can’t be right - you can’t be serious”. They were supported by one of Letby’s friends. The trial lasted for more than 10 months, and it’s believed to be the longest murder trial in the UK. Letby becomes the most prolific baby killer in modern times.
A most distressing case, says judge
Judith Moritz
Inside the courtroom
As the judge discharged the jury, he told them "this has been a most distressing and upsetting case". One of the babies' family members left the courtroom when the jury foreman said it was not possible to return verdicts on six remaining counts.
A couple of jurors appeared upset. The judge told them they are excused from serving on juries in future. He thanked them for their service and said they were welcome to return to court (but are not obliged to) when he passes sentence on Monday.
What this case is about
PA Media
To recap, Letby was accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. The jury heard nine months of evidence, including claims Letby deliberately injected babies with air, force fed others milk and poisoned some with insulin. Letby insisted she did not harm any of the babies and pointed to issues of poor hygiene and staffing levels in the hospital.
The prosecuting barrister said Letby had been on shift at the time when each baby collapsed. He also included 11 other common themes, from unusual skin discolouration to the babies collapsing just after having been visited by parents.
'Utter torture' for families as Letby refuses to return to dock
Lucy Letby has refused to enter court to hear some verdicts and will not appear for her sentencing on Monday.
It'll be "utter torture" for the victims' families that she will not be in the dock to hear her fate, says our correspondent Katerina Vittozzi, who is at Manchester Crown Court.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Wu52HoznQgP6
Katerina Vittozzi says it will be a "bitter pill for them to swallow" after a 10-month trial that has "pushed them to the physical and mental limit". It has been "utterly sickening" for the families to hear Letby consistently deny hurting their children for the best part of a year, Vittozzi says.
Letby did utmost to conceal crimes and varied how she hurt babies - prosecutor
We've just received some reaction from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to today's verdicts against Lucy Letby.
The nurse "was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies... little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst," says Pascale Jones, senior Crown Prosecutor with the complex casework unit of CPS Mersey-Cheshire. Letby "did her utmost to conceal her crimes, by varying the ways in which she repeatedly harmed babies in her care", Jones said. "She sought to deceive her colleagues and pass off the harm she caused as nothing more than a worsening of each baby’s existing vulnerability."
Letby to be sentenced on Monday
The sentencing of Lucy Letby will be at 10am on Monday 21 August.
Letby used air, milk and fluids to kill... she weaponised her craft - prosecutor
SWNS
More now from Pascale Jones, prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service, who has released a statement. "In her hands, innocuous substances like air, milk, fluids - or medication like insulin - would become lethal. She perverted her learning and weaponised her craft to inflict harm, grief and death," Jones says. "Time and again, she harmed babies, in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families."
Jones goes on to say that "parents were exposed to her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion". She says thoughts are with the babies' families.
Pascale Jones Senior Crown prosecutor, CPS Mersey-Cheshire
Ongoing investigation into Letby's time at another hospital
Liverpool Women's Hospital has released a statement following the verdicts. Letby worked at the hospital for several months on a placement. It said in a statement:
"Following the recent trial verdicts, our thoughts are with the parents and families of the victims and everyone who has been affected. As detailed in news reports and information provided by Cheshire Police, there is an ongoing investigation relating to the full period of Lucy Letby’s career, including training placements at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, which took place between October – December 2012 and January – February 2015.
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust has been liaising with Cheshire Police throughout this investigation and we will continue to do so going forward. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any more information at this time. Any further details will be shared by Cheshire Police in due course. Anyone relevant to this ongoing investigation is aware and they have been supported throughout."
BREAKING Hospital bosses ignored months of doctors' warnings about Letby
Judith Moritz, Jonathan Coffey & Michael Buchanan
BBC
Dr Stephen Brearey, lead consultant on the neonatal unit, raised concerns about her in October 2015
The lead consultant at the neonatal unit where Lucy Letby worked has told the BBC that hospital bosses failed to investigate allegations against the nurse and tried to silence doctors. The hospital also delayed calling the police despite months of warnings that the nurse may have been killing babies. The unit's lead consultant Dr Stephen Brearey first raised concerns about Letby in October 2015.
No action was taken and she went on to attack five more babies, killing two. BBC Panorama and BBC News have been investigating how Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long.
We spoke to the lead consultant in the unit - who first raised concerns about Letby - and examined hospital documents. The investigation reveals a catalogue of failures and raises serious questions about how the hospital responded to the deaths. You can read it in full here.
An 'utterly horrifying case'
Jonathan Storer, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said:
"This is an utterly horrifying case. Like everyone who followed the trial, I have been appalled by Letby's callous crimes. To the families of the victims - I hope your unimaginable suffering is eased in some way by the verdicts. Our thoughts remain with you. Our prosecution team and police investigators have my respect and gratitude. These convictions could not have happened without their dedication to securing justice."
How Letby was on shift when the babies died
Letby was charged with murder and attempted murder against a total of 17 different babies. She was found guilty of murdering seven babies (babies A, C, D, E, I, O and P) and attempting to murder another six babies.
The jury were undecided in relation to the attempted murder charges against babies J, K and Q. Letby was found not guilty of attempting to murder baby H, and the jury were also undecided on one count of attempting to murder baby H.
BBC
'Today is not a time for celebration. There are no winners in this case'
Following the verdict, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Evans, said:
"Today is not a time for celebration. There are no winners in this case. Our focus right now is very much on the families of the babies. The compassion and strength shown by the parents – and wider family members – has been overwhelming. Today is all about them – and we must not lose sight of that. I cannot begin to imagine how the families in this case feel today. We will all take some time to reflect on today's verdict both the guilty and the not guilty verdicts.
I would like to say thank you to the families for putting their trust in us and I hope that this process has provided them with some of the answers they have been waiting for. We will continue to work closely with each of the families in the days and weeks ahead in order to ensure they have the support they all require in light of everything they have experienced. My thoughts – and those of the whole prosecution team – remain with them at this incredibly difficult time."
DCI Evans added:
"The details of this case are truly crushing. A trained nurse responsible for caring and protecting tiny, premature babies; a person who was in a position of trust, she abused that trust in the most unthinkable way. I cannot begin to understand what the families have had to endure over the past seven or eight years but we have been humbled by their composure and resilience throughout this whole process."
BREAKING 'I am truly sorry' - former hospital CEO
The former boss of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, who was in charge at the time of the babies' murders, has released a statement.
"All my thoughts are with the children at the heart of this case and their families and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time," says Tony Chambers, the ex-chief executive. I am truly sorry for what all the families have gone through.
The crimes that have been committed are appalling and I am deeply saddened by what has come to light. The trial, and the lengthy police investigation, have shown the complex nature of the issues raised. I will co-operate fully and openly with any post-trial inquiry."
Countess of Chester Hospital
Find support on BBC Action Line website
This is an extremely distressing case so if you, or someone you know, need help after reading about it, the details of organisations offering assistance can be found on the BBC Action Line website.
We need an inquiry, says ex-medical director of Chester hospital
Ian Harvey, former medical director at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where the babies were targed, has put out a statement saying: "My thoughts are with the babies whose treatment has been the focus of the trial and with their parents and relatives who have been through something unimaginable and I am sorry for all their suffering. As medical director, I was determined to keep the baby unit safe and support our staff. I wanted the reviews and investigations carried out, so that we could tell the parents what had happened to their children. I believe there should be an inquiry that looks at all events leading up to this trial and I will help it in whatever way I can.”
Watch the moment Letby was arrested for the first time
Early in the morning on 3 July 2018, Lucy Letby was led away from her Chester home in handcuffs after being arrested for the first time. She was initially released on police bail, but was subsequently arrested twice more. The 33-year-old was re-arrested on 10 June 2019 and then for a third time on 10 November 2020 where she was then ultimately charged in November 2020 as the police investigation developed.
The attacks happened in 2015 and 2016. Letby has been remanded in custody since November 2020 and has spent time in four different prisons. Cheshire Police has released video of the moment Lucy Letby was arrested at her home and taken away in a police car.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/9DQgBqL1Ijuz
Liverpool hospital investigating Letby's time there
Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies who were being looked after on a neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital. A BBC Panorama has been investigating how Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long - more here. It found two other babies died while Letby was working at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation "relating to the full period of Lucy Letby’s career", including training placements at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. These took place between October and December 2012, and January and February 2015, the statement says.The trust will continue to liaise with police, and due to the ongoing investigation, it says it cannot provide any further details at this time.
We've just heard from Cheshire Constabulary who investigated the case. Det Ch Insp Nicola Evans was speaking on the steps of Manchester Crown Court.
Families' dignity has been truly overwhelming, says police
BBC
DCI Evans says it's been a long and emotional journey for all of the families in this case. She says all of their babies "will forever be in our hearts", and thanks the families "for their exceptional resilience and strength throughout this entire investigation". "Their composure and dignity in this trial has been truly overwhelming," she says.
We've also just heard from Crown Prosecution Service's Pascale Jones, who says Letby did her utmost to conceal crimes by varying the ways she harmed babies.
'Innocuous substances became lethal' - prosecutor
BBC
Pascale Jones from the CPS says: "Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst." She says "innocuous substances like air, milk, fluids - or medication like insulin - would become lethal" in the hands of Letby. "She perverted her learning and weaponised her craft to inflict harm, grief and death," Jones says.
"Time and again, she harmed babies, in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families. "Parents were exposed to her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion. Too many of them returned home to empty baby rooms. Many surviving children live with permanent consequences of her assaults upon their lives."
A very dark episode within the history of the NHS
Our national correspondent Tom Parmenter gave this update on-air from outside the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Lucy Letby worked.
It is one of the most upsetting and distressing cases ever heard in British courts, and a very dark episode within the history of the NHS.
To hear that one of the nurses who was working here could be guilty of such unimaginable crimes is something that will send shockwaves through the NHS, and through this city.
This police investigation and subsequent trial have taken many years. Question marks and allegations have hung over this working hospital - a fairly standard general hospital, known locally as the Countess in this part of the northwest of England.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/48n7IcLfH1vF
There are major questions as to why colleagues who were trying to blow the whistle, who were trying to tell their management that something was wrong, that they were suspicious of what Lucy Letby was doing. Major questions about why those whistleblowing procedures did not work as they should have done, and why Lucy Letby was allowed to continue working.
And as we know through the shocking detail that was heard over the course of the last ten months, babies died after those whistleblowing concerns had been raised with management.
Throughout all this period, this hospital has continued to serve the people of Cheshire, of North Wales and Merseyside, as it does every single day.
But there will be major questions for the hospital management about what happened and how Lucy Letby was permitted to continue nursing after those allegations had been raised.
Many of the details over the course of the afternoon you may find distressing and upsetting.
But that has been the nature of the court case that has played out. They have gone through the individual care of all of those babies, some 17 babies at the heart of this trial.
All of the babies involved in this case should now be seven years old or so, and thriving in life in primary school. But that chance, that opportunity was denied them by the actions of Lucy Letby.
We are stunned, says spokesperson for families
Janet Moore, family liaison officer, has been speaking on behalf of the babies' families. “We are quite simply stunned”, she says. “To lose a baby, or have a baby harmed in these circumstances, is unimaginable.
'We may never know why this has happened'
BBC
Moore, the police family liaison officer, tells reporters that some families did not receive the verdict they were expecting - possibly referring to the six charges that the jury were undecided on. She calls this a "bittersweet result".
Familes need time to come to terms with verdicts
Janet Moore, the family liaison officer, ends by thanking the investigation and prosecution teams. The search for the truth remains "at the forefront of everyone's mind", she says, adding that the families "will forever be grateful". She says they ask for time in peace to process what has happened, "and to come to terms with today's verdict".
Jury seen leaving in tears: Outside Manchester Crown Court
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter in Manchester
There is a huge media presence outside Manchester Crown Court this afternoon, as reporters wait for statements from the police and Crown Prosecution Service.
It has been a lengthy trial that has been closely followed by the press - but strict reporting restrictions over the last week mean no one has been able to report any of the partial verdicts that have been delivered.
Several members of the jury were seen leaving the court in tears - it has been a huge emotional burden for them to sift through thousands of pages of evidence and return the verdicts they have.
Nicholas Johnson KC, prosecuting, has asked the court for 28 days to consider whether a retrial would be sought for the remaining six counts of attempted murder.
While Letby will now likely spend the rest of her life behind bars, for the families of those four babies who did not get a verdict, it will be difficult news for them to take.
The timeline of Letby's crimes
BBC
Will Letby spend the rest of her life in prison?
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, outside Manchester Crown Court
Lucy Letby has been convicted of the murder of seven babies and attempting to murder six more, making her the UK's most prolific killer of children in modern British history.
She will be sentenced on Monday at 10am - with Letby already saying, via her defence barrister, that she will not attend the courtroom.
Because she has been convicted of murder, the judge must impose a life sentence, but there is the question of what would be Letby's minimum tariff (the minimum amount of time she must spend in prison before she is eligible for release).
Depending on the facts of the offence, the starting point for the minimum time served in prison ranges from 15 to 30 years.
But, Letby may be sentenced to a whole life tariff - meaning she would spend the rest of her life behind bars, which can be applied in cases such as a planned murder of two or more people.
The judge will also take into account the aggravating factors that make the sentence even more serious. In this case, he will consider Letby's level of premeditation, and the fact the victims were particularly vulnerable because they were newborn babies.
He will also take into account the fact that Letby was working as a nurse - and therefore providing a public service - when she murdered the infants, abusing her role and the trust the public placed in her.
Letby could become only the third woman alive to be handed a whole life order during sentencing on Monday.
She would join the ranks of Rosemary West, Joanna Christine Dennehy and deceased moors murderer Myra Hindley.
Chester MP calls for public inquiry
The Labour MP for the city of Chester says she has written to the health secretary to call for an independent public inquiry into the Lucy Letby case.
In a statement published on X, formally known as Twitter, Samantha Dixon MP says "the time is right to seek the reassurance that no one could ever again perpetrate crimes as hideous as these."
Paying tribute to Cheshire Police, Ms Dixon adds that "for the families at the heart of this, I feel intense sadness and stand beside them in their grief and sorrow.
"Too many people now live with the consequences of the catastrophic harm caused by Letby.
"An attempt on a child's life is one of the most depraved acts a person can commit. And the death of a child is the hardest burden to bear."
Ms Dixon continues: "The families whose children were killed and harmed, the community I represent and families across the country need to know their children are protected and safe.
"The Government should now institute a full, independent and public inquiry into the circumstances in which these crimes were perpetrated."
The longest murder trial in British legal history explained
https://www.bitchute.com/video/Mx1vLzRg9ODq
BREAKING Government orders independent inquiry
The government has ordered in independent inquiry following today's verdicts against Lucy Letby. It will look into the "circumstances behind the murders and attempted murders of babies at Countess of Chester Hospital to help ensure families get the answers they need".
No officers will come out investigation 'the same people' after case of this scale
The investigation has been a "long and very difficult process" for the officers involved, said news correspondent Katerina Vittozzi.
The team have been working on "a case the scale of which none of these officers have ever worked on before".
She said you could "see the emotion of the face" of deputy senior investigation officer Nicola Evans when she spoke today.
"Nicola Evans... telling us that she didn't think any officer involved in this case would come out of this the same person they were before - and it's not often you hear that sort of emotion coming from an investigation team."
Their work began with a "simple letter" written to police from the Countess of Chester Hospital administration team, reporting a spike in deaths in the neonatal ward.
"They said it was a very difficult moment when they had to knock on the doors of the families involved in this case and tell them that they believed that their baby had died or been attacked, and that was inflicted harm, and that the person that they suspected of it was a nurse who was on that ward."
But DCI Evan's focus has always been on those families, Vittozzi said.
"This is there loss, these were their children, this is their tragedy that they will have to bear," she said.
"It has been very distressing to see families in court, having to listen to the final moments of their children's lives or moments when their children collapsed and needed urgent resuscitation."
She continued: "But then also to have to find out that it was a women that they trusted who was behind these acts of harm. And today to be denied that opportunity to see Lucy Letby in the dock - it is absolutely horrendous for them"
Police to review 4,000 neonatal admissions at Chester and Liverpool hospitals
Detectives at Cheshire Constabulary believe Lucy Letby may be responsible for other attacks on babies. Det Supt Paul Hughes says police are reviewing all 4,000 admissions of babies into neonatal units at the two hospitals where Letby worked between 2012 and 2016 - the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
"This does not mean we are investigating all 4,000," he says. "It just means that we are committed to a thorough review of every admission from a medical perspective, to ensure that nothing is missed throughout the entirety of her employment as a nurse. We would be foolish if we were to think we have gathered all cases that Lucy Letby could have touched in one go."
Lucy Letby: UK's most prolific baby killer in modern times
SWNS
As we've been reporting, Lucy Letby has been convicted of the murder of seven babies - more than any other serial killer in modern times. This is how her crimes compare to that of other murderers of children:
- Fred and Rosemary West were jointly charged with murdering 10 people, including five children, between the late 1960s and the mid-1980s
- Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were responsible for the deaths of five children between the ages of 10 and 17 in the 1960s
- Scottish murderer Robert Black killed four girls aged between five and 11 in the 1980s
- Russell Bishop killed two nine-year-old girls in 1986
- Nurse Beverley Allitt was given 13 life sentences in 1993 for murdering four children and attacking nine others while working at Grantham Hospital
Lucy Letby's first police interview
https://www.bitchute.com/video/AdUX78CuTjdp
Cheshire Constabulary has released a clip from Letby's first police interview which took place on 3 July 2018.
The nurse has been found guilty of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of another six babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The jury was undecided on six other counts of attempted murder.
NHS chief nursing officer: Colleagues are shocked and sickened
Dame Ruth May, NHS England's chief nursing officer, has just given her reaction to the Letby verdict.
She's described Letby's crimes as "appalling", she echoes words we've heard a few times this afternoon, calling it a "terrible betrayal of trust".
"Colleagues within the nursing profession and across the health service have been shocked and sickened to learn what she did, actions beyond belief to the nurses and staff working so hard to save lives and care for patients," she added.
"On behalf of all of us I would like to express our profound apologies to the families for all they have been through."
She also welcomed the government's decision to launch an independent inquiry, as we reported a few moments ago.
Dame Ruth has been England's chief nursing officer since 2019 - a few years after Letby's crimes.
Whistleblowing doctor accuses hospital management of 'potentially facilitating a mass murderer'
One of the doctors involved in the trial has hit out at the managers of the Countess of Chester Hospital for "taking months" to take action against killer nurse Lucy Letby.
Writing on Facebook, Dr Ravi Jayram - who gave evidence in Letby's trial - said: "My colleagues and I have lived this for the last 8 years and the period of the trial has been the most difficult part of this. I am proud of all the frontline colleagues with whom I work, for managing to carry on providing excellent care to babies and children under such pressure.
"My heart goes out to the families of the babies affected by this although nothing can ever undo the evil that was inflicted on their children."
He added: "There are things that need to come out about why it took several months from concerns being raised to the top brass before any action was taken to protect babies, and why from that time it then took almost a year for those highly paid senior managers to allow the police to be involved.
"The truth of what happened during that time will shock you to the core as it comes out. The safety of patients should come above any risk of reputational damage and sometimes the right decisions might be difficult and unpopular, but executive-level managers are paid to do just that.
"There are people out there now, still earning six figure sums of tax-payers money or retired with their gold-plated pensions, who need to stand up in public to explain why they did not want to listen and do the right thing, to acknowledge that their actions potentially facilitated a mass-murderer and to apologise to the families involved in all of this.
"However, I suspect the response will be fudge and misinformation and it is now my mission moving forwards to make sure that they are held to account."
Inquiry will look at how staff's concerns were handled, says Barclay
Reuters
Health Secretary Steve Barclay says the independent inquiry, just announced by the government, "will seek to ensure the parents and families impacted get the answers they need". I am determined their voices are heard, and they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry should they wish to do so," he says. The inquiry will look at the circumstances surrounding the babies' deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital, including "how concerns raised by clinicians were dealt with", the government says.
'There was a murderer in the hospital's midst' - CPS
At a press conference earlier after the verdict, Pascale Jones from the Crown Prosecution Service said Lucy Letby "did her utmost to conceal her crimes" and used her knowledge as a nurse to "inflict harm, grief and death".
Some readers may find the details in this clip upsetting.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/5VtAsCS6Bzlf
How police caught her, from the man who led six-year probe
PA Media
The senior investigating officer in the six-year probe that led to Lucy Letby today being found guilty of murder has released a statement about how the investigation unfolded. "We had to go right back to the start, keeping an open mind and being careful not to draw any conclusions," said Det Supt Paul Hughes. "The last thing we expected to find was a suspect responsible for these deaths and non-fatal collapses. It was a long, drawn-out process but no stone was left unturned. We had to do it right - not rush it. We had to deal with this as 17 separate investigations - we are normally used to dealing with one murder or attempted murder investigation at a time let alone something on this scale.
What started out as a team of eight quickly increased and, at the height of the investigation, featured almost 70 officers and civilian staff working together. Turning up at the home of a family who have lost a baby, grieved for their loss and are trying to move on from that is difficult enough, but having to tell them that someone who was meant to be caring for their little one could ultimately be responsible for their death - is not an easy task."
New legislation could force convicts to attend their sentencing - but not in time for Letby
The justice ministry has released a statement in the last hour that, on the face of it, doesn't appear to be related to the Letby verdict.
The short statement reads that the Lord Chancellor - Justice Secretary Alex Chalk - "has been clear he wants victims to see justice delivered and for all those found guilty to hear society's condemnation at their sentencing hearing.
“Defendants can already be ordered by a judge to attend court with those who fail facing up to two years in prison.”
While there was no mention of Letby, our political correspondent Liz Bates says it appears to be about the fact she didn't turn up to court for every verdict that was delivered in recent days.
"The expectation is that she won't turn up either in court for the sentencing," Liz says.
"The rule as it stands means a person can be ordered by a judge to attend court. If they don't, they can be found in contempt of court and their sentence can be extended.
"The government plans to toughen those rules up even further. New legislation on non-attendance at sentencing hearing will also be introduced.
"But of course, that won't be in time for the Letby sentencing next week.
"That could be another difficult moment, of course, for families who have already experienced so much horrific, unimaginable trauma."
Could Letby be forced to attend her sentencing?
PA Media
Lucy Letby appeared in the dock several times since the start of the trial. She was not present today as the verdicts were delivered. On two occasions earlier this month, she was in the courtroom and sobbed loudly or cried with her head bowed, but she was last present in court on the morning of 16 August. It is believed she has at times been in the building during proceedings, but refused to come into the courtroom and instead stayed in the cells.
It is unclear whether Letby will be present on Monday morning for her sentencing. The Ministry of Justice has said that the Lord Chancellor has been clear that he wants "victims to see justice delivered and for all those found guilty to hear society’s condemnation at their sentencing hearing. Defendants can already be ordered by a judge to attend court, with those who fail facing up to two years in prison for contempt of court."
Who are John and Susan Letby?
By Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter at Manchester Crown Court
For 145 days of evidence and 21 days of deliberation, Lucy Letby's parents John and Susan have stood by their daughter in court.
Letby is the only child of the retired couple, who are originally from Hereford.
They have sat through hours of hearing the reality of their daughter's crimes, even relocating to Manchester to support her.
Susan grew increasingly emotional as her daughter was found guilty of murdering multiple babies.
During one set of verdicts, she broke down - whispering "You can't be serious, this can't be right" into her husband's arms - before howling as her only child was led out of court. Her anguished cries could be heard from outside the room.
But like their daughter, they were not present in court today as the final findings from the jury were reached and the judge lifted the reporting restrictions.
Podcast - Britain's most prolific child killer; nurse Lucy Letby found guilty
Lucy Letby is now the UK's most prolific child killer of modern times after being convicted of seven murders, as well as six attempted murders.
Families of her victims sobbed and comforted each other in court as the jury delivered their verdicts over several days.
On the Sky News Daily, we hear from some of the relatives as host Niall Paterson is joined by our correspondent Katerina Vittozzi, who has been following the trial at Manchester Crown Court.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/7Q9uWz2S1GjF
The NHS must learn lessons, says health minister
BBC
Talking about the government inquiry, the UK's care minister Helen Whately said: "The important thing here is something like this must never happen again and of course the NHS must learn lessons.
"One of the things here is to make this can be done at pace, with action to be taken quickly", she continued, when asked why the government opted for a non-statutory inquiry which has fewer legal powers. "A non-statutory inquiry can happen more quickly and be more flexible to answer the questions that need to be answered." Whately says one thing she thinks should be looked into is why doctors weren't listened to when they raised concerns.
'I am evil I did this' note, card to parents: Evidence seen during Letby's trial
Jurors were presented with a mountain of evidence during Letby's nine-month trial, including witness statements, medical notes, photographs, texts, and evidence from the killer herself.
A notable moment was when the prosecution pulled up this image of a post-it note recovered from Letby's home, on which she had written: "I don't deserve to live. I killed them on purpose because I'm not good enough to care for them."
She also wrote: "I am a horrible evil person" and: "I AM EVIL I DID THIS".
Letby's defence argued the note was written by an "anguished woman in despair" at being wrongly accused - but the jury rejected this.
Letby also sent a sympathy card to the parents of one of her victims. She photographed it on her mobile phone hours before the victim's funeral. The card read: "Thinking of you today and always - sorry I cannot be there to say goodbye."
And the staff rota was an important piece of evidence. The column highlighted in purple shows that the only nurse on shift for every single incident was Lucy Letby:
One of darkest crimes ever committed in NHS - health watchdog
The UK's health watchdog has issued a statement, saying the Lucy Letby case is "almost without parallel". “It is one of the darkest crimes ever committed in our health service," says the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Rob Behrens
He says evidence in the trial shows staff "repeatedly raised concerns and called for action" but "it seems that nobody listened and nothing happened", and "more babies were harmed and more babies were killed. Those who lost their children deserve to know whether Letby could have been stopped and how it was that doctors were not listened to and their concerns not addressed for so long." He calls for "significant improvements to culture and leadership across the NHS so that the voices of staff and patients can be heard, both with regard to everyday pressures and mistakes and, very exceptionally, when there are warnings of real evil".
What is a non-statutory public inquiry?
Laura Foster
Health reporter
A non-statutory public inquiry is going to be held following this case. It’s going to examine what happened and what lessons can be learned, to stop such awful crimes from happening again. A non-statutory public inquiry is set up by the government (in this case the UK one which is responsible for healthcare in England) but it doesn’t have the power to summon evidence or witnesses as can be done in a statutory one – such as the UK Covid-19 public inquiry; however, information is still usually shared when it’s needed to keep people safe from serious harm or death. That could certainly be a factor in this inquiry. Other examples of this type of inquiry include the one set up following the sentencing of Sarah Everard’s killer and the Chilcot Inquiry into the UK’s involvement in the Iraq War.
'I remember saying, oh no, it can't be nice Lucy'
Unknown
Before June 2015, there were about two or three baby deaths a year on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, but in the summer of 2015, something unusual was happening. In June alone, three babies died within the space of two weeks. The deaths were unexpected, so Dr Stephen Brearey, the lead consultant at the neonatal unit, called a meeting with the unit manager, Eirian Powell, and the hospital's director of nursing Alison Kelly.
"We tried to be as thorough as possible," Dr Brearey says. A staffing analysis revealed Lucy Letby had been on duty for all three deaths. "I think I can remember saying, 'Oh no, it can't be Lucy. Not nice Lucy,'" he says.
BBC Panorama and BBC News have been investigating how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder and harm so many babies for so long.
Why it's taken so long to bring Letby to justice
Lucy Letby's trial and jury deliberations have taken a very long time, and come seven years after the crimes for which she's now been convicted.
But could investigators have wrapped this up much earlier?
During his time as chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy dealt with a similar case, but involving elderly patients.
He told Sky News the Letby investigation has taken time because there's little precedent to base it on.
"It is such an unusual form of criminal behaviour, so the investigators do not really have a great deal of experience to build upon." Sir Peter said.
"The public may look at it and say, well, you know, the police were provided with the name by the hospital, but then you've got a massive job to prove every single case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"She was using air, insulin, milk - obviously all substances readily available in a hospital. You've got a huge number of staff, a hospital coming in and out, and you've got to eliminate everybody else.
"You're really operating on the edges of medical science because these are very unusual medical interventions. There's been very little research."
Sir Peter says all of that means you have to rely on a range of different experts to even start to draw any conclusions - and your experts might have very different interpretations.
"You have to do a huge amount of work to actually tie anything down," he adds.
"That's undoubtedly one of the key reasons why this investigation has taken so long, and why it took so long to come to trial."
Disappointment over the type of inquiry chosen
Former chief crown prosecutor for the North West of England, Nazir Afzal, says it's “hugely disappointing" the inquiry is non-statutory - which means it has fewer legal powers and cannot force people to testify. Speaking to Radio 4's PM programme, Afzal said “you have to compel people... I really don’t think a non-judicial inquiry has the powers to hold people to account, which is important here.
"People need to be held to account for their failures,” he continued. Meanwhile Lord Bichard, who chaired the inquiry into the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, also says he's surprised it's non-statutory. Earlier the government defended this, saying a non-statutory inquiry will be quicker “and more flexible to answer the questions that need to be answered”. Lord Bichard says the bereaved families should "have a chance to meet and question the proposed chair".
The investigation - a forensic look at how Lucy Letby was caught
Sky's national correspondent Tom Parmenter has been working with our Data and Forensics team, to take a deep dive into the investigation.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/4bFB5XLXL6Pq
Emotional moments and dense medical detail
Dan O'Donoghue
At Manchester Crown Court
During the trial, we heard, often in harrowing detail, how previously stable babies collapsed and died despite the desperate efforts of doctors and nurses to save them. Much of the case centred on at times hard to follow dense medical detail, with thousands of documents shown to the jury detailing the blood gas levels, heart rate and respiratory rates of these infants, with X-rays, feeding charts, nursing and doctors’ notes also produced in evidence, but what really cut through was the humanity in this case. Clinicians fought back tears in the dock describing how they battled to save children, and parents of the 17 alleged victims spoke about the truly unimaginable pain they suffered as they saw their children deteriorate.
There was also emotion from Letby, who the defence repeatedly said was completely innocent of the crimes alleged. In the witness box, the former nurse told how her life had been destroyed, pushing her to consider suicide after these allegations were levelled at her and she was removed from front-line nursing duties in 2016.
'We are quite simply stunned' - what the victims' families have said
PA Media
The statement was read out by family liaison officer, Janet Moore
Once all the verdicts were in and could be reported, the families of Letby's victims released a joint statement, which was read outside court earlier.
- "Words cannot effectively explain how we are feeling at this moment in time," it began. "We are quite simply stunned"
- They said losing a baby or having a baby harmed "in the particular circumstances is unimaginable" before calling the last seven or eight years a "long, torturous and emotional journey"
- Family liaison officer Janet Moore went on to say, on the families' behalf, that justice had been served, but "this justice will not take away the extreme hurt, anger and distress that we have all had to experience"
- The statement then acknowledges that not every family got the verdict they expected, calling that as a "bittersweet result"
- The families thanked the jury and say they "recognise the determination and commitment each witness has shown in ensuring the truth was told"
Mum tells Sky News she suspects Letby harmed her baby
There have been warnings already today that Lucy Letby may have harmed far more babies than the seven she murdered, and six she attempted to murder.
Police are now reviewing the care of more than 4,000 babies.
Sky News presenter Jonathan Samuels has spoken to Lynsey Artell, who explained why she thinks Letby may have harmed her newborn in 2016.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/doJEJPN02Ciy
Countess of Chester Hospital has given a statement to Sky News in response to Lynsey's allegations.
The hospital's medical director, Dr Nigel Scawn, said the Letby case has had a profound impact on patients and the local community.
"We are extremely sorry that these crimes were committed at our hospital and our thoughts continue to be with all the families and loved ones of the babies who came to harm or died," Dr Scawn said.
"We cannot begin to understand what they have been through.
"Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services. I want to provide reassurance that every patient who accesses our services can have confidence in the care they will receive.
"And, most importantly, our thoughts are with all the families and loved ones at this very difficult time."
Management and paediatricians have questions to answer, says former Letby colleague
Lucy Letby carried on killing babies even after fellow staff members raised questions about her behaviour.
Dr John Gibbs was a consultant paediatrician at the Countess of Chester hospital while Letby worked there. He had concerns about her, and gave evidence in court.
Speaking to Sky News, Dr Gibbs accepted that there are legitimate questions about why paediatricians did not stop her as soon as concerns were raised - and why it took management so long to get police involved.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/rK7sSpMfniI1
Victim's family - 'life sentence won't be enough'
The parents of one of the babies which Lucy Letby attempted to murder has told Sky News that she put their family through hell and that what she did is going to affect them for the rest of their lives.
They want a life sentence - but say even that won't be enough for the pain and hurt she's caused.
To protect the identity of the parents, Sky News has allowed them to speak anonymously - voiced by actors.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/3yWHbEnJKTR3
How does a seemingly hard-working student become a serial killer?
Letby had been a nursing student at the Countess of Chester hospital - but it took several years for her to become the serial killer that has landed her behind bars.
Criminal psychologist Dr David Holmes discusses whether anything flipped in Letby's mind.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/AtXtbsZh4JNY
BREAKING Letby's attacks were a complete betrayal of trust, says lawyer
Pascale Jones, a lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, has also been speaking outside Manchester Crown Court.
"Lucy Letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst," she said.
"In her hands, innocuous substances like air, milk or medication like insulin would become lethal.
"She perverted her learning and weaponized her craft to inflict harm, grief and death. Time and again, she harmed babies in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families."
Saying her thoughts are with the families affected, Ms Jones said parents had been exposed to Letby's "her morbid curiosity and her fake compassion. Too many of them returned home to empty baby rooms.
"Many surviving children live with permanent consequences of the assault upon their lives. Her attacks were a complete betrayal of the trust placed in her."
Chester Hospital 'deeply saddened' and 'appalled' by nurse's crimes
https://www.bitchute.com/video/T9dqXOJbBgEZ
'It's the ultimate final insult' if the convicted murderer does not attend her sentencing
Lucy Letby says she is 'determined' not to come up to the court for her sentencing, causing 'huge distress' to the victims' families.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/0vbVpr5bcxPZ
Chester Hospital doctor speaks out after killer nurse is found guilty
Dr John Gibbs is a retired consultant paediatrician who was working at Countess of Chester Hospital when Letby carried out her attacks.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/aedzhNCXd74D
ITV Evening News 18/08/23
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YMHhYYfgpLxn
ITV News at Ten
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YTnQy8CqOfnt
Podcast - PM 18/08/2023
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LcdMskZcVZ7B
BBC News at Six 18/08/23
https://www.bitchute.com/video/2LOkrMS88t9x
Channel 4 News
https://www.bitchute.com/video/d5H0frcFHeII
Panorama - Lucy Letby - the Nurse Who Killed
https://www.bitchute.com/video/UARgLNGWKcmQ
Newsnight - How did Lucy Letby Kill for So Long?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/56QFtEYpHjmu
Podcast - PM 19th
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LEKDkLvadSOD
ITV News Weekend Teatime 19/08/2023
https://www.bitchute.com/video/LEjMY6bNOjfb
ITV - What You Need to Know
https://www.bitchute.com/video/6BHJfyeMlQca
There are more things. Some include -
1) Childhood friend of Lucy Letby insists 'bubbly' baby killer is innocent
https://archive.is/qSruA
2) being put on suicide watch before the sentencing so as to avoid cheating justice
3) The text messages Lucy Letby sent as she murdered babies
https://archive.is/p3VcM
I should be uploading the lead-up to the sentencing, updates, victim impact statements and the sentencing and some reactions in the next few days or so. Of course, you can find the information online, but as the way I make such threads, I think it's both a good idea and quite important to have the things together in one place.
https://t.co/q8PgC7HlBd
