Cheshire Constabulary has publicly and forcefully rejected criticism from Conservative former cabinet minister David Davis regarding its investigation into Lucy Letby, the nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more between 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The police force issued a strongly worded statement after Davis called in parliament for a review, alleging "egregious failures" in the probe.
Davis's Allegations and Police Response
David Davis argued that Cheshire Constabulary approached the investigation with an excessive focus on suspecting Letby, failing to follow guidelines and best practices, including in the appointment of expert witnesses. He referenced lessons from the wrongful conviction of Sally Clark in 1999, based on flawed medical evidence, and stated he would urge the director of public prosecutions to review the conduct of both the Crown Prosecution Service and Cheshire Constabulary.
In response, Cheshire Constabulary portrayed the growing concerns about the evidence as misinformation spread by a group "making baseless claims and attempting to destroy reputations." The force stated, "Cheshire constabulary strongly refutes all the points made during the adjournment debate. It implied impropriety on the part of Cheshire constabulary where none whatsoever has been established. We remain confident in the integrity of the investigation, the conduct of the prosecution, and the decisions reached by the courts."
Background on the Letby Case
Lucy Letby was convicted in 2023 of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others while working as a nurse in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital. She received 15 whole-life orders, and the Court of Appeal denied her permission to appeal. Since the convictions, numerous medical and scientific experts, including renowned Canadian neonatologist Dr. Shoo Lee, have argued that the babies died from natural causes or poor care, not deliberate harm, suggesting a miscarriage of justice.
Dr. Lee assembled a panel of 14 experts who concluded last year there was no evidence of murders or intentional harm. Letby's lawyer, Mark McDonald, has applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to have the case sent back to the Court of Appeal, supported by reports from 27 experts, with the CCRC currently reviewing the application.
Ongoing Scrutiny and Further Investigations
Cheshire Constabulary's statement emphasized that while scrutiny is welcome, it must be fact-based and not undermine due process or public confidence. The force added, "Our thoughts remain with the families of the babies, who have always been at the heart of this case."
In reply, Davis reiterated his call for transparency, urging Cheshire police to provide investigation documents to Letby's lawyers, including policy books, records of inquiries, and notes from meetings with expert witnesses. After the convictions, Cheshire Constabulary conducted a further investigation into Letby's earlier work, but the Crown Prosecution Service announced in January that no further charges would be brought due to insufficient evidence.
