Controversy Erupts as Lawyers and Executives Seek to Halt Inquiry into Baby Deaths at Chester Hospital

A High-Stakes Request to Halt the Inquiry

In a dramatic twist in the ongoing inquiry into the deaths of several babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England, lawyers for convicted neonatal nurse Lucy Letby and former hospital executives have called for the inquiry to be halted. This request comes after a panel of 16 international medical experts concluded that there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing in the deaths of the infants. Justice Kathryn Thirlwall, who is overseeing the inquiry, acknowledged the requests before proceeding to hear closing statements. The inquiry, which began in September, was established to examine the circumstances surrounding the harm caused to babies at the hospital and to hold staff and management accountable. However, the new developments have thrown the entire process into question.

Medical Experts Challenge the Premise of Letby’s Convictions

At the heart of the controversy are the findings of the international medical panel, which reviewed the medical evidence in the case. According to Dr. Shoo Lee, a retired neonatologist from Canada, the panel concluded that the deaths and collapses of the newborns could be attributed to natural causes or substandard medical care, rather than any criminal act. This directly contradicts the prosecution’s case against Lucy Letby, who was convicted of seven counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder. The panel also dismissed the idea of an unexplained spike in deaths at the hospital, describing the evidence linking Letby to the incidents as “incomplete, selective, and therefore meaningless.”

The implications of these findings are significant. Lawyers for Letby argue that if her convictions are overturned, the inquiry’s conclusions could be deeply flawed, rendering the entire process a waste of time and taxpayer money. Louise Mortimer, one of Letby’s attorneys, emphasized that continuing the inquiry under these circumstances could prevent a full and fearless understanding of the true circumstances surrounding the babies’ deaths or illnesses. With over £10 million already spent on the inquiry, the stakes are high, and the potential for a miscarriage of justice looms large.

Public Support for Letby Grows Amid Doubts Over Her Guilt

Outside the inquiry, which is being held in Liverpool, dozens of Letby’s supporters have gathered to call for her release. Holding signs that read “Free Lucy Letby! No babies were murdered!” and “Nurse Letby witch hunt,” they express their belief that the case against her is flawed and that the science used to convict her is unsound. The crowd’s presence serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions surrounding Letby’s case and the growing public skepticism about her guilt.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) is currently examining Letby’s convictions to determine whether there has been a miscarriage of justice. The CCRC has the power to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal if it identifies significant new evidence. While the Crown Prosecution Service has defended the original convictions, arguing that two juries and three appellate judges have already upheld them, the new expert evidence could potentially undermine the case against Letby.

Hospital Executives Call for Inquiry to Be Halted

In addition to Letby’s legal team, former executives from the Countess of Chester Hospital have also requested that the inquiry be brought to a halt. They argue that the medical panel’s findings have fundamentally altered the basis on which the inquiry was established. However, not everyone agrees with this position. Andrew Kennedy, a lawyer representing the National Health Service (NHS) trust that runs the hospital, has argued that halting the inquiry would be premature and could delay the implementation of much-needed reforms. “A postponement, which would necessarily be of indeterminate length, is not warranted,” Kennedy said during his closing remarks. “It would serve to delay the implementation of recommendations which, unhappily, the evidence in this inquiry has demonstrated are desperately needed.”

Kennedy acknowledged that the hospital had already admitted some failings at the start of the inquiry but argued that it should have acted even sooner to address the issues in the neonatal unit. “We recognize the significance of this concession to the parents of children who were harmed or killed by Letby after the beginning of November 2015,” he said. “I can only say that the trust is profoundly sorry for the failure to intervene sooner.”

Ongoing Investigations and Legal Battles

While the inquiry into the deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital continues, several related investigations remain active. Cheshire police recently announced that their investigation into corporate manslaughter at the hospital has been expanded and is now exploring individual suspects for gross negligence manslaughter. This development has been met with criticism from Letby’s legal team, which argues that the police investigation is misguided in light of the medical panel’s findings. Mark McDonald, another attorney representing Letby, has called on the police to re-examine their approach, asserting that the new expert evidence “completely demolishes” the case against his client. “It is time they take a step back and ask themselves whether they have made a huge mistake,” McDonald said.

Separately, another investigation is looking into other deaths and near-deaths of babies at both the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women’s Hospital during the period between 2012 and 2016, when Letby worked at both facilities. This broader investigation adds another layer of complexity to an already deeply contentious case.

The Path Forward: Implications and Next Steps

As the inquiry continues, Justice Thirlwall is expected to publish her final report in the fall. The report will likely address the key issues raised during the inquiry, including the hospital’s management practices, the adequacy of neonatal care, and the role of individuals in the tragic events that unfolded. However, the contested nature of Letby’s guilt and the ongoing legal challenges mean that the inquiry’s findings may not bring closure to the families of the affected children or to the wider public.

In the meantime, the case of Lucy Letby remains a source of intense public fascination and debate, raising important questions about the reliability of expert evidence, the fairness of the criminal justice system, and the accountability of healthcare institutions. Whether the inquiry ultimately leads to a greater understanding of the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital or becomes a footnote in a larger legal drama remains to be seen.

For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Lucy Letby, a woman who has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her supporters cling to the hope that the new evidence will lead to her exoneration, while others continue to grapple with the disturbing possibility that a trusted healthcare professional could have caused such harm. As the legal and medical communities sort through the evidence and arguments, one thing is clear: the truth behind the tragic events at the Countess of Chester Hospital is far from settled.