Efforts to have Lucy Letby’s conviction re-examined have moved forward with a review of her case suggesting that none of the babies who died were murdered.
Medical experts – including Dr Shoo Lee – have today published a report stating that they believe all of the infants involved in her case had suffered from natural causes or errors in medical care.
Retired neonatal medical expert, Dr Lee co-authored an academic text in 1989 which was cited by the prosecution in Letby’s trial.
He told a press conference this morning that his words on the effect of air embolism in babies were misrepresented by the witnesses called by the prosecution.
Guernsey based paediatric consultant Dr Sandie Bohin was one of the experts who gave evidence for the prosecution during Letby’s first trial in 2023, but she has not been named in the International Expert Panel’s Summary Report.
It was Dr Bohin’s evidence – and that of Dr Dewi Evans – that helped convict Letby of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six more at Countess of Chester Hospital in England between 2015 and 2016.
Letby was also found guilty of a further count of attempted murder during a retrial last year. She has been given a whole life prison sentence.
Today Letby’s defence lawyer, Mark McDonald said she was following developments from her prison cell.
The evidence given by Dr Bohin and Dr Evans has been called into question by the International Expert Panel’s Summary Report.
Where the tiny victims displayed skin discolouration, it was put to the jury that it proved air had been injected into them causing their injuries or deaths.
However, Dr Lee has said that his 1989 text which was cited in the trial was misrepresented.
The panel of experts, including Dr Lee and 12 others, all worked pro-bono on the review, and it was agreed in advance with Letby’s defence representatives that the report would be published whether it favoured her defence or not.
The International Expert Panel’s Summary Report will be used by Letby’s defence team as they try to convince the Court of Appeal that her conviction is unsafe and the case should be reopened.
Simultaneously, the Letby case is due to go before the Criminal Cases Review Commission which investigates potential miscarriages of justice in the UK.
The CCRC has been quoted as saying it received an application from Letby’s lawyers yesterday.