Livestream Lucy Letby Inquiry to Avoid ‘Conspiracy Theories,’ Say Families

A custody image of Lucy Letby, taken after her arrest in Hereford, England, in November 2020. Cheshire Constabulary

Families of the victims have called for a public inquiry into the deaths of babies at the hands of nurse Lucy Letby to be livestreamed to prevent the spread of “grossly offensive” conspiracy theories.

Letby, 34, was given 14 whole life orders in August 2023 after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester.

She faces a retrial next month on a single count of attempted murder after the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case of Child K, who died in February 2016.

Earlier this week The New Yorker magazine published an article that questioned the evidence used to convict Letby.

The online version of the article has been blocked for those in the UK because of the risk of contempt of court.

On Tuesday former Cabinet minister Sir David Davis told the House of Commons, “Yesterday The New Yorker magazine published a 13,000-word inquiry into the Lucy Letby trial, which raised enormous concerns about both the logic and competence of the statistical evidence that was a central part of that trial.”

“That article was blocked from publication on the UK internet, I understand because of a court order. Now, I’m sure that court order was well intended but it seems to me in defiance of open justice,” he added.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk replied: “Court orders must be obeyed and court orders can be displaced by someone applying to court for them to be removed. So that will need to take place in the normal course of events.”

‘The Jury’s Verdict Must Be Respected’

“I will just simply make a point on the Lucy Letby case, that the jury’s verdict must be respected. If there are grounds for an appeal, that should take place in the normal way,” he added.

Letby’s legal team has submitted a bid to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal.

A public inquiry into the events leading up to the deaths of the babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in 2015 and 2016 is due to take place in September at Liverpool Town Hall.

It will also look into the culture in the wider NHS.

Media gather outside of Countess of Chester Hospital, as they wait for Medical Director Nigel Scawn to deliver a statement to the media, in Chester, England, on Aug. 18, 2023. Jacob King/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

A preliminary hearing for the inquiry, which will be chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, was held at Chester racecourse on Thursday.

Peter Skelton, KC, representing the families of six of the babies, said Letby’s crimes were the subject of conspiracy theories online, which he described as “grossly offensive” and “distressing” for the relatives of the children.

He compared them to conspiracy theories which doubted the reality of school shootings such as Sandy Hook in the United States.

Mr. Skelton said, “One of the most effective antidotes to those theories and the damage they cause will be to see and to hear the people involved in the hospital give a true and comprehensive account of the facts.”

He said it was “extraordinary” for the legal team representing the hospital to suggest a livestream might make witnesses less inclined to speak with candour.

Staff Have ‘Moral Obligation’ to Tell the Truth

“All the staff working at the hospital are public servants, they have a moral obligation to give a true and complete account,” he added.

Richard Baker, KC, representing some of the other families, said they were “saddened” and “concerned” that the hospital seemed to be less than willing to be transparent.

But Andrew Kennedy, KC, representing the Countess of Chester Hospital, said they wanted to provide “as much assistance” to the inquiry as possible, but there was a “high level of anxiety” from staff at the prospect of being livestreamed.

“Our desire, and no doubt the inquiry’s desire, is for witnesses to be able to speak frankly and with candour and anything that can be done to facilitate that should be done,” he added.

Mr. Kennedy said, “If a witness is concerned about livestreaming then if we can remove that concern we can, we would suggest, encourage candour, frankness, and openness.”

The hearing was told 188 requests for information had been made to midwives, nurses, doctors, managers, and members of the hospital board.

Lady Justice Thirlwall said she would give a decision on whether the inquiry could be livestreamed later this summer.

PA Media contributed to this report.