A judge overseeing the investigation into the murders of newborns by British nurse Lucy Letby announced on Monday that she would consider arguments for pausing the inquiry, following requests from hospital administrators and a politician advocating for the reversal of Letby’s conviction.
Letby, 35, was convicted in 2023 of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016 while employed in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester, northern England, making her the most notorious serial child killer in modern British history.
Since her conviction, she has been found guilty of an additional count of attempted murder and has been denied the opportunity to appeal.
The disturbing case led the government to initiate an inquiry last September to investigate how the murders went unnoticed and to assess the hospital’s response to concerns raised about Letby prior to her arrest. The inquiry does not question Letby’s guilt.
However, a coalition of politicians and medical professionals has publicly contested her convictions, with experts claiming to have conducted a review that raises doubts about the evidence supporting the allegations of murder.
Kathryn Thirlwall, the inquiry chair and a senior judge, stated at the beginning of the closing submissions on Monday that she had received a request from attorneys representing hospital managers to pause the inquiry.
Lawmaker David Davis, who has been a vocal supporter of Letby, also submitted a request for a similar pause, she noted.
“In light of this, I have decided to hear submissions on this matter in addition to the closing arguments,” she remarked.
She also mentioned that she had recently received a letter from Letby’s legal team requesting the suspension of the inquiry but had not yet had the opportunity to review it.
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Last week, police announced that they had expanded their investigation into potential corporate manslaughter at the hospital to include considerations of gross negligence manslaughter by individuals.
Letby’s newly appointed legal team is working to contest her conviction, arguing that the expert testimony provided by the prosecution during her trial was inadequate. They have submitted a request to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an organization that has the authority to suggest new trials in instances where there is a potential miscarriage of justice.
