LUCY LETBY CASE ROCKED BY FRESH QUESTIONS — NEW EVIDENCE PUTS HER CONVICTIONS UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY

A NEW LEGAL BATTLE IS UNDERWAY

Lucy Letby remains behind bars serving 15 whole-life orders after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

But the legal fight surrounding her convictions is far from over.

Her case is currently being examined by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which is considering extensive new material submitted by her legal team and supporting experts.

The CCRC has made clear that its review is ongoing and that it could refer a potential miscarriage of justice to the Court of Appeal if it finds a real possibility that a conviction may not be upheld.

NEW MEDICAL EVIDENCE IS AT THE HEART OF THE FIGHT

One of the most significant challenges concerns the medical evidence surrounding two babies whose cases involved allegations of insulin poisoning.

An international group of medical experts has questioned aspects of the evidence presented at trial, with some arguing that the babies’ collapses could have alternative medical explanations.

The defence has argued that the new evidence raises fundamental questions about the scientific basis of parts of the prosecution case.

TWO EXPERTS HAVE NOW WALKED AWAY

In September, chemical engineering expert Helen Shannon and bioengineering professor Geoff Chase withdrew from Letby’s defence team.

Their departure immediately attracted attention.

But their position was more complicated than simply abandoning Letby’s case.

The pair said they stood by their assessment that it was very unlikely two babies had been deliberately poisoned with insulin, while expressing serious concerns about other scientific arguments being advanced by the defence.

They warned that some of those arguments were inconsistent with available evidence and established physiology.

A PUBLIC INQUIRY HAS ADDED ANOTHER LAYER

At the same time, the long-awaited Thirlwall Inquiry published its report into what happened at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The inquiry found major failures in leadership, management and safeguarding, including missed opportunities to respond to concerns about babies becoming seriously ill or dying.

However, the inquiry was not an appeal court and did not overturn Letby’s convictions or determine whether she was innocent.

A separate criminal investigation into possible corporate and gross negligence manslaughter involving hospital leadership is also continuing.

MATERNITY RECORDS ALSO RAISED QUESTIONS

Another development emerged in July, when a BBC investigation reported that maternity notes relating to babies in Letby’s case had been seized by police but were not reviewed by the prosecution’s chief medical expert or disclosed to the defence before trial.

The Crown Prosecution Service has maintained that Letby was convicted after two jury trials and that the Court of Appeal rejected her previous challenge.

That disclosure has become another point of interest as the CCRC considers whether the new material could have an impact on the convictions.

BUT HAS LETBY BEEN CLEARED?

No.

Lucy Letby’s convictions remain in force.

The CCRC has not declared her innocent, and it has not announced that her convictions will be overturned.

The commission itself stresses that it is an independent body and that its role is to assess whether there is a real possibility of a miscarriage of justice — not to decide guilt or innocence.

THE NEXT STAGE COULD BE CRUCIAL

The CCRC’s review could ultimately result in the case being referred back to the Court of Appeal.

But there is currently no confirmed date for such a referral and no guarantee that it will happen.

For now, Letby remains imprisoned while lawyers, scientists and investigators continue examining the evidence surrounding one of Britain’s most closely watched criminal cases.

And with new medical arguments, questions over previously undisclosed material and the findings of the Thirlwall Inquiry now forming part of the wider debate, the legal battle is far from finished.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/15/uk/lucy-letby-thirlwall-inquiry-intl