COPS didn’t tell killer nurse Lucy Letby she could be facing further charges and she found out through “gossip”, her legal team has complained.
Letby’s barrister Mark McDonald moaned that police didn’t “have the courtesy” to tell them it was handing a new file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.
COPS didn’t tell killer nurse Lucy Letby she could be facing further charges[/caption]
The 35-year-old from Herefordshire was convicted of murdering seven babies[/caption]
Letby’s barrister Mark McDonald moaned that police didn’t “have the courtesy” to tell them it was handing a new file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service[/caption]
It is understood to concern new baby deaths and non-fatal collapses at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital between 2012 and 2016.
The 35-year-old from Herefordshire was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others while working at the Countess of Chester in 2015 and 2016.
She is serving 15 whole-life orders and is Britain’s most prolific child killer.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it had received “a full file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary” askingthe force to consider further allegations.
These are “in relation to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital”.
This comes after three people – who were in senior leadership roles at the Countess of Chester Hospital – were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter as part of an investigation into the baby deaths.
But Mr McDonald told the Telegraph that the police didn’t tell Letby’s legal team about the new file.
He claimed this forced her to find out through “gossip”.
“One could be cynical and say that the police are afraid of what will happen when Lucy’s conviction is overturned.
“We will cross every bridge when we get to it, but if Lucy is charged I know we have a whole army of internationally renowned medical experts who will totally undermine the prosecution’s unfounded allegations.”
In a statement, a spokesman for the CPS said: “We will now carefully consider the evidence to determine whether any further criminal charges should be brought.
“As always, we will make that decision independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test.”
A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police confirmed the force had submitted “a full file of evidence to the CPS for charging advice regarding the ongoing investigation”.
Investigators are looking into the deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neo-natal units of both hospitals as part of Operation Hummingbird.
This process to determine whether Letby will face further charges is expected to take several weeks and involve consultation with many of Britain’s most senior legal brains.
On top of the recent arrests for suspected gross negligence manslaughter, there is also an ongoing investigation into corporate manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
All three ex-bosses arrested have been bailed, with their identities not yet being released by police.
Cops also added that these arrests do not have any impact on the killer nurse’s convictions.
Letby’s barrister Mr McDonald added that the police’s latest announcement came at a “very sensitive time” and that a proper and full public inquiry into failings by the hospital is needed.
The charges Letby has been convicted of in full
Child A, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby injected air intravenously into the bloodstream of the baby boy. COUNT 1 GUILTY.
Child B, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby attempted to murder the baby girl, the twin sister of Child A, by injecting air into her bloodstream. COUNT 2 GUILTY.
Child C, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said Letby forced air down a feeding tube and into the stomach of the baby boy. COUNT 3 GUILTY.
Child D, allegation of murder. The Crown said air was injected intravenously into the baby girl. COUNT 4 GUILTY.
Child E, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby murdered the twin baby boy with an injection of air into the bloodstream and also deliberately caused bleeding to the infant. COUNT 5 GUILTY.
Child F, allegation of attempted murder. Letby was said by prosecutors to have poisoned the twin brother of Child E with insulin. COUNT 6 GUILTY.
Child I, allegation of murder. The prosecution said Letby killed the baby girl at the fourth attempt and had given her air and overfed her with milk. COUNT 12 GUILTY.
Child K, allegation of attempted murder. The prosecution said Letby compromised the baby girl as she deliberately dislodged a breathing tube. COUNT 14 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT AT ORIGINAL TRIAL, NOW GUILTY AFTER RETRIAL
Child L, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said the nurse poisoned the twin baby boy with insulin. COUNT 15 GUILTY.
Child M, allegation of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby injected air into the bloodstream of Child L’s twin brother. COUNT 16 GUILTY.
Child N, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby inflicted trauma in the baby boy’s throat and also injected him with air in the bloodstream. COUNT 17 GUILTY, COUNT 18 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT, COUNT 19 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT.
Child O, allegation of murder. Prosecutors say Letby attacked the triplet boy by injecting him with air, overfeeding him with milk and inflicting trauma to his liver with “severe force”. COUNT 20 GUILTY.
Child P, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said the nurse targeted the triplet brother of Child O by overfeeding him with milk, injecting air and dislodging his breathing tube. COUNT 21 GUILTY.
Child Q, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby injected the baby boy with liquid, and possibly air, down his feeding tube. COUNT 22 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT
