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Lucy Letby latest: 'No evidence of murder' in case of killer nurse, panel of 14 experts claims

Lucy Letby's lawyers and an independent panel of medical experts have presented "new medical evidence" in the case of the killer nurse that they say casts doubt on her conviction.

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Lucy Letby legal team: 'We're here to tell the truth'
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What was claimed today

That's all for our live coverage of the news conference.

Retired neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee and senior Tory MP David Davis revealed the findings of a 14-member expert panel analysing medical evidence considered in the trial of Lucy Letby.

Letby killed seven babies and attempted to kill seven more while a nurse on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. She is serving 15 whole-life orders.

Each murder was independently examined by two experts, who were asked to determine the cause of death.

Lee claimed the review "did not find any murders", calling into question the evidence of Dr Dewi Evans, who was the prosecution's lead medical witness. Dr Evans has said criticism of his evidence is "unsubstantiated, unfounded and inaccurate".

Lee began the news conference with a message to the parents of Letby's victims, saying the panel was not there to cause "distress" but to "tell the truth": 

'Error or natural causes'

"There was no medical evidence to support malfeasance causing death or injury in any of the 17 cases in the trial," Lee claimed.

"Death or injury of all the affected infants were due either to natural causes or to errors in medical care."

He accused the Countess of Chester Hospital of a litany of failures, including unsafe delays in diagnosis and treatment, poor skills in resuscitation and incubation, and the misdiagnosis of diseases.

Lee presented alternative causes of death for several babies. 

He said infection killed Baby Seven, traumatic delivery led to the death of Baby 15, and chronic lung disease complicated by antibiotic-resistant bacteria ended the life of Baby Nine.

The findings of the panel attempted to undermine the methods by which the prosecution argued Lucy Letby attacked the infants, in particular that she injected air into their bloodstream, causing an air embolism that blocked the blood supply.

"The notion that these cases are air embolisms because [the babies] collapse and because there were skin rashes has no basis in evidence. Let's be clear about that," Lee said.

Letby's lawyers have applied for a review of the case as a "potential miscarriage of justice" by the Criminal Cases Review Commission after two failed bids at the Court of Appeal - read more on that in our previous post.

Letby lawyers apply for review of case as 'potential miscarriage of justice'

Minutes before the news conference began at 10am, Lucy Letby's lawyers announced they had sent her case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for review.

The independent body investigates potential miscarriages of justice.

A CCRC spokesperson said: "We have received a preliminary application in relation to Ms Letby's case, and work has begun to assess the application. We anticipate further submissions being made to us.

"It is not for the CCRC to determine innocence or guilt in a case, that's a matter for the courts."

The CCRC said it is for them to "find, investigate and if appropriate, refer potential miscarriages of justice to the appellate courts".

Letby lost two bids last year to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal - in May for seven murders and seven attempted murders, and in October for the attempted murder of a baby girl. She was convicted of that attempted murder charge by a different jury at a retrial.

Analysis: World-leading experts forensically examined case - their findings are likely to cast doubt on her conviction

By Ashish Joshi, health correspondent at the news conference

This must have been one of the most distressing mornings for the grieving parents of the babies who died in Chester. 

A 10-month trial concluded that their newborns were murdered by Lucy Letby. 

Now they have been presented with a body of evidence gathered by some of the world's leading neonatal experts that could and probably will put some doubt against her conviction. 

Every single baby's death has been forensically analysed: the allegation presented in court with the circumstances of each death against what the panel claims are the clinical facts in the case.

Dr Shoo Lee, the panel chair, approached Letby's lawyers after her conviction in 2023. 

He was convinced his 1989 paper on neonatal deaths, which had been used as evidence in the case against Letby, had been misinterpreted at trial.

The team he has assembled to examine each death is a world leader in their own respective field. 

For parents learning today that these experts believe some of the baby deaths were preventable and not the result of a serial killer nurse will come as nothing less than earth-shattering.

This expert panel review of each case, if true, could point to yet another systemic failure of NHS maternity care. But now it will be for the Criminal Cases Review Commission to decide if Lucy Letby's case is investigated as a potential miscarriage of justice.

News conference ends

Sir David Davis, the senior Tory MP who believes Lucy Letby is innocent, ends the news conference after taking questions from reporters.

Stay with us for a summary of what we learned today.

Letby lawyer asked why defence didn't call expert witnesses

Continuing to take questions from the media, Letby's lawyer Mark McDonald is asked why the defence did not call expert witnesses during the trial like those speaking on the panel today.

He says his job is not to dissect the decision-making of the trial defence team.

Lucy Letby was represented by an experienced counsel and excellent solicitors, he says.

Medical evidence against Letby 'demolished', defence lawyer claims

The panel is asked to address other, non-medical evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial of Lucy Letby.

The killer nurse is now presented by a different defence team to the one she had at trial.

Lawyer Mark McDonald responds: "Lucy Letby was convicted because of the medical evidence that was presented to the jury.

"If that evidence was at fault and was wrong, the conviction is unsafe."

He says there is a "valid explanation" for all other evidence, but the medical evidence presented "has been demolished" today.

'Does evidence point to another NHS maternity scandal?'

Sky News' health correspondent Ashish Joshi is next to ask a question at the news conference. 

He asks if the evidence presented by the panel points to "yet another maternity scandal in the NHS".

Professor Neena Modi, professor of Neonatal medicine at Imperial College London, responds, saying there were "very plausible reasons for the deaths of these babies".

She says: "There was a combination of babies being in the wrong place, delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment."

She adds that although it is not her place to talk about wider issues facing the NHS, "I would also say there are clearly systemic factors at play".

Prosecution witness 'selective in his use of information'

After the conclusion of Dr Shoo Lee's findings, the floor is opened to the journalists in the audience to ask questions.

In response to a question on academic credentials, Dr Lee says he and the panel of international medical experts whose findings have been presented today have written thousands of peer-reviewed papers between them.

In contrast, the prosecution's lead medical witness in the case against Letby, Dr Dewi Evans, has written zero. Dr Evans has said criticisms of his evidence by Letby's lawyers are "unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate".

Dr Lee is asked: "What does that tell you about the scientific knowledge of Cheshire Police and the CPS?"

He says he assembled a "top notch" team, and that he has questions on the testimony of Dr Evans.

"Our panel found problems with the medical care provided at this hospital - how did he not find any?" he says.

"He also seemed to be selective in his use of information."

He adds: "Even when there is an obvious cause of death why did he go looking for malfeasance?"

No evidence of murder, claims doctor - as he hits out at hospital

Retired neonatalogist Dr Shoo Lee is concluding his remarks at the news conference.

"In summary, ladies and gentlemen, we did not find any murders," he says.

"There was no medical evidence to support malfeasance causing death or injury in any of the 17 cases in the trial.

"Death or injury of all the affected infants were due either to natural causes or to errors in medical care.

"There were serious problems related to medical care of patients at this hospital."

He turns to the hospital, hitting out at a list of failures he perceives, including:

  • Incomplete medical histories
  • Failure to consider pregnancy and birth history
  • Disregard for warnings about bacteria 
  • Misdiagnosis of diseases
  • Caring for babies that were "probably beyond their expected ability or designated level of care"
  • Unsafe delays in diagnosis and treatment
  • Poor skills in resuscitation and incubation
  • Poor supervision of junior doctors
  • Lack of understanding of respiratory physiology
  • Poor management of medical conditions
  • Lack of knowledge of the use of medical equipment
  • Lack of training and inadequate staffing
'Infection' killed Baby Seven, doctor claims

Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies by injecting air into their bloodstream.

Going through the case of another baby, Dr Shoo Lee says: "Baby Seven in our opinion had vomiting and clinical deterioration because of infection which can cause these symptoms.

"There is no evidence of air injection into the stomach or overfeeding."