Lucy Letby: GUILTY On 7 Counts of Murder

For those of you following the Lucy Letby case, a verdict has finally been reached after months of deliberation.

*Please be warned that this article may contain details that are upsetting, particularly for those of you who've had babies in the NICU. Please be reassured that Lucy Letby does not represent the fantastic Neonatal care given on the whole within the NHS.*

After a trial lasting for nine months, she has been found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six more, giving her the title of the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history - an even more horrifying thought when you consider her job role.

Lucy Letby, 33, was a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester hospital. She was arrested in 2018 after a number of deaths and near-miss incidents occured, rousing suspicion. After long jury deliberation, she has been convicted of the “persistent, calculated and cold-blooded” murder of vulnerable premature babies on the unit where she worked. This trial has been one of the longest murder trials in recent years, and families wept in the dock as the verdicts came in. The Jury were unable to reach a verdict on some of the babies, and she was found not guilty for two of the cases.

She targeted multiple babies including two identical triplet brothers who were killed within 24 hours of each other, a girl born 10 weeks premature who was murdered on the fourth attempt, and a newborn weighing less than 2lb who was found to have been fatally injected with air.

Deputy Senior Investigating Officer of Cheshire Constabulary DCI Nicola Evans and CPS Lawyer Pascale Jones speak outside Manchester Crown Court after Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder others.

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In a statement given to the BBC, former chief executive Tony Chambers, who was in charge at Countess of Chester Hospital at the time of the murders has said he is "truly sorry" for what the families of the victims have been put through and will fully and openly co-operate with all inquiries post-trial.

"All my thoughts are with the children at the heart of this case and their families and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. I am truly sorry for what all the families have gone through. The crimes that have been committed are appalling and I am deeply saddened by what has come to light."

What sentence will Lucy Letby be given?

The sentencing will come on Monday the 21st of August. The nurse is expected to become only the third woman alive in the UK to be handed a whole-life term sentence, meaning that she will never be released from prison.

Our verdict...

We certainly do not envy the poor jury - this case has been one of the longest in recent history, with details that are extremely distressing. It must have been an excruciatingly hard verdict to reach. Not only that, we're beyond heartbroken for every single family affected by what happened at the Countess of Chester - there are really no words, are there? It's beyond the pale that anyone could do this to an innocent baby - let alone an NHS Neonatal nurse.

Thank you to all of the wonderful NHS Neonatal nurses out there, we hope that this horrendous case does not tarnish the life saving work you do too.

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