Lucy Letby: Whistleblowers attack NHS failures after concerns about nurse killer were ignored

“It can’t be Lucy – not nice Lucy.”

These were the now chilling words of a doctor facing yet another devastating, inexplicable death of an infant in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester’s Hospital.

But despite her “beige” appearance, Lucy Letby was behind this and other deaths – a “ruthless and decisive” killer of children, hiding in plain sight.

Lucy Letby killed five babies between June and October 2015. At that point, the lead consultant on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester’s Hospital, Dr Stephen Brey, raised concerns about her.

Her last two victims — and that’s not including the other six counts of attempted murder she was convicted of — were killed in June 2016. That was 2017 before anyone called the police.

It is impossible to imagine the pain and suffering of the parents of these children. However, it might be possible to think that the parents of her two most recent victims would spend the rest of their lives suffering more than the rest. They will know that what happened to their children could – and should – have been prevented. These suspicions have already been raised – and have been going on for almost a whole year.

is reading The Independent Editorial below.

MPs and activists said the bosses should be prosecuted at the hospital where Lucy Letby killed seven children if they ignored warnings.

Sir Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary, said police would have to consider whether charges of gross negligence or corporate manslaughter were needed.

Talking to The telegraphSir Robert said: “My general view is to leave no stone unturned and to provide families with full accountability.

“This is the least the families deserve considering the hell they have been through and are still going through.

“If the police have not considered whether there could be charges of manslaughter by a company or even individual charges of manslaughter, then I think they should consider whether that is appropriate.”

Judge Render called for the law to be amended after Lucy Letby refused to attend the sentencing hearing and hear the “unbearable pain of her victims”.

Former attorney Robert Render, 45, who hosted a hit TV show from 2014-2020 during which he ruled in small claims court cases, tweeted: “Families of the children Lucy Letby murdered gave impact statements today.

“They couldn’t direct them to the nurse who killed her children b/c the litby was allowed to stay away and not hear about the unbearable pain of her victims. Her absence was legal. It’s time to change that law. Now.”

Read the full report below.

“It can’t be Lucy – not nice Lucy.”

These were the now chilling words of a doctor facing yet another devastating, inexplicable death of an infant in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester’s Hospital.

But despite her “beige” appearance, Lucy Letby was behind this and other deaths – a “ruthless and decisive” killer of children, hiding in plain sight.

Now convicted of the murder of seven children and the attempted murder of six more, Litby became the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history.

But even though he was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, there are questions about what drove the 33-year-old to commit such horrific crimes. While her reasons may not be fully understood, jurors were told by prosecutors and other experts during her trial of several possible motives.

Read the full report below.

Lucy Letby’s former boss, who has been accused of “ignoring” concerns about a serial killer nurse, is under investigation by the nursing staff.

Alison Kelly, who was Director of Nursing at Countess Hospital of Chester before leaving in 2021, has been suspended from her current position as Director of Nursing at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust in Salford.

Britain’s most prolific child serial killer, Letby, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for the murders of seven children and the attempted murders of six more in 2015 and 2016 while working in hospital.

Now, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has confirmed that its former manager, Ms Kelly, has been referred for fitness for the investigation exercise.

Read Rebecca Thomas’ full report below.

Dawn Howe previously appeared on BBC Newsnight to say she would only believe that Letby was guilty of the murder of seven children and the attempted murder of six more if her friend confessed.

But despite the guilty verdicts, Ms Howe, who knew the killer since childhood, still had videos and photos with Letby tagged on Facebook, the Mail Online reported.

Also speaking to Panorama on Friday, she claimed that all of Litby’s friends still support her.

She said: “Unless Lucy turns around and says I’m guilty, I’ll never believe she’s guilty.

“We know she wasn’t able to do anything she’s accused of, so without a doubt, we stand by her.

“I grew up with Lucy and there was not a single thing I had ever seen or seen about Lucy that would allow me for a moment to believe that she was capable of the things she was accused of doing.

“That’s the most complicated accusation you could make against Lucy. Think of your sweet, sweet friend and think he’s being accused of child abuse.”

Lucy Letby is now one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers.

The fact that she killed seven babies while trying to kill six others while working as a neonatal nurse made the case even more shocking.

NHS nursing staff, including Letby’s former colleagues as well as those across the country, have been affected by the ruling.

said Dr Amanda Lee, who was a neonatology nurse but is now a lecturer WatchmanYou can see everyone wondering what went wrong, how did this happen.

“Like in the case of Beverley Allitt, you start to question everything you do.”

Alette was a nurse on a children’s ward in Lincolnshire and murdered four children in 1991.

The Neonatal Nurses Association stated on Facebook: “Your work, day in and day out, is essential, valued and makes a positive difference to children and families.

“We urge you to seek support as needed and to acknowledge as individuals how challenging this ruling may make you feel.”

The father of a slain police officer said a change in law after Lucy Letby refused to attend the sentencing hearing could cause “more suffering” for the victims’ families.

Letby did not leave her cell on Monday as she was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of seven children and the attempted murder of six others.

Former prison officer Bryn Hughes, whose daughter PC Nicola Hughes was killed in 2012 alongside fellow PC Fiona Boone in a pistol and grenade ambush while working in Tameside, Greater Manchester, says calls for a change to the law are a “reckless reaction”. .

Mr Hughes said: “Most of the time they will be sociopaths feeding off of that pain and grief.

“If they can see the families in the dock, they’ll scream abuse, they’ll play, they’ll start fighting and whatever, because they can see that pain and anguish on their faces, I don’t think it’s worth going through all that.

“I’ve had people into the dock who bite and spit and yell abuse and within two or three minutes of the judge speaking to deliver a sentence they start again and the judge just said ‘take them downstairs’.”

“It disrupts everything, causes more suffering and delays things, so it’s a really tough choice and they’re not the type to just say ‘sit down and be quiet’, they’re beyond that, I’ve had a complete disregard for life and a disdain for law and order.”