Lucy Letby: Will convicted child killer be given appeal opportunity? Debate over conviction rages in new BBC Panorama documentary
A new BBC Panorama documentary takes a look at the questions remaining surrounding the conviction of one of the UK’s most prolific child killers.
Former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of the murder and attempted murder of multiple babies on the neonatal ward of Countess of Chester Hospital. The death occurred between June 2015 and June 2016.
Letby pleaded not guilty to all counts, however the prosecution linked her to the deaths of multiple child and the deterioration in condition of multiple others. Evidence included Letby’s working schedule lining up with a high number of deaths on the ward, blood test results, inconsistencies in medical records, and her behaviour and communication at the time, including handwritten note that were interpreted as a “confession”.
However, since her conviction and retrial, question have been raised over Letby’s culpability in the case, with some arguing that the convicted killer has been at the centre of a miscarriage of justice.
Panorama - Lucy Letby: Who to believe? airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 8pm tonight (august 11). The programme is already available to watch on demand on BBC iPlayer.
What was Lucy Letby found guilty of?
Following a trial that lasted around 10 months, Letby was found guilty of seven counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder of infants. This conviction made her the most prolific child killer in modern UK history.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict on six other attempted murder charges. She was acquitted on two attempt murder counts.
The CPS ordered a retrial on one of the six counts of attempted murder that the jury were unable to reach a verdict on. This retrial commenced on June 10, 2024 and Letby was found guilty of another attempted murder on July 2.
As a result of the conviction, Letby was sented to a whole life order. This is the most severe sentence possible under English law and she is only the fourth woman in history to receive the sentence in UK court, the others being Myra Hindley, Rose West, and Joanna Dennehy. Letby is currently being held in HMP Bronzefield in Ashford.
Has Lucy Letby appealed her convictions?
Following the conclusion of the first trial and her subsequent convictions, Letby applied to the Court of Appeals to appeal her convictions in January 2024. Letby’s lawyer Ben Myers tried to question the use of testimony from Dewi Evans, a doctor and the lead witness for the prosecution.
Myers had argued that his testimony had been “dogmatic and biased”, but this was dismissed by Court of Appeals judges Dame Victoria Sharp, Lord Justice Holroyde and Mrs Justice Lambert. Letby’s appeal also questioned the “very weak” medical evidence that she injected air into the bloodstream of infants, as well as criticising the decision of the judge. Mr Justice Goss, in the original trial in instructing the jury that they could convict even if they were unsure of the method of murder used. Mr Justice Goss’ failure to investigate the impartiality of the jury was also cited as a ground of appeal by Letby’s counsel.
However, the appeal application was refused by the three Court of Appeal judges. Letby has also applied to appeal against her attempted murder conviction from the retried case, arguing that prejudicial media coverage prevented a fair trial. The Court rejected her application for appeal.
What happens next for Lucy Letby?
Letby appointed a new defence lawyer in September 2024. Mark McDonald held a press conference later that year, confirming that he was preparing an application to the Court of Appeal and Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), again raising doubts over the testimony of Dewi Evans. Evans was accused of changing his testimony on how two of the infants died, a claim that he later described as “unsubstantiated, unfounded” and “inaccurate”.
Letby’s new defence team applied for her case to be reviewed as a potential miscarriage of justice in February 2025. At the same time, a panel made up of 14 international medical experts and chaired by Dr Shoo Lee published their findings, concluding that there was no medical evidence to support the claims that Letby deliberately harmed or killed the infants in question.
Instead, the panel argued that the deaths were likely down to natural causes or substandard medical care at the Countess of Chester Hospital, exasperated by factors such as inadequate staffing and long waiting times for treatments.
In its latest update issued in February 2025, a CCRC spokesperson said: “We are aware that there has been a great deal of speculation and commentary surrounding Lucy Letby’s case, much of it from parties with only a partial view of the evidence. We ask that everyone remembers the families affected by events at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. We have received a preliminary application in relation to Ms Letby’s case, and work has begun to assess the application. We anticipate further submissions being made to us.
“It is not for the CCRC to determine innocence or guilt in a case, that’s a matter for the courts. It is for the CCRC to find, investigate and if appropriate, refer potential miscarriages of justice to the appellate courts when new evidence or new argument means there is a real possibility that a conviction will not be upheld, or a sentence reduced.
“At this stage it is not possible to determine how long it will take to review this application. A significant volume of complicated evidence was presented to the court in Ms Letby’s trials. The CCRC is independent. We do not work for the government, courts, police, the prosecution or for anyone applying for a review of their case. This helps us investigate alleged miscarriages of justice impartially.”