The decision to uphold the ruling of not pursuing further charges against nurse Lucy Letby, a serial killer, for allegedly harming six more babies has been confirmed. In January, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) determined that there would be no new criminal charges filed against Letby for potential offenses of attempted murder and murder involving nine children, including two fatalities, citing insufficient evidence.
Cheshire Constabulary provided a file of evidence to the CPS regarding allegations stemming from incidents during Letby’s tenure at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital from 2012 to 2016. Six families sought a review of the CPS decisions pertaining to their children under the Victims’ Right to Review scheme.
Following an extensive review by an independent prosecutor, the decision not to pursue additional charges was upheld. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS’s special crime division, stated that after careful examination of the evidence, no further criminal charges would be brought against Letby in relation to the incidents in question.
Letby, aged 36 and from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit. Despite being denied permission to appeal her convictions in 2024, the Criminal Cases Review Commission is reviewing new evidence provided by a panel of medical experts suggesting alternative causes for the incidents.
A public inquiry led by Lady Justice Thirlwall is expected to release its findings later this year to investigate how Letby was able to perpetrate these crimes.