Former Nurse Lucy Letby has been sentenced to another whole life term for attempting to kill a premature baby girl, adding to her existing jail terms for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others.
The 34-year-old Letby, already serving 14 whole life terms, was found guilty of trying to murder another girl, referred to as Baby K, following a retrial. The latest conviction stems from Letby’s actions at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
Letby, who had previously refused to appear in the dock for her sentencing last August, was present in court to receive her 15th whole life term. Her initial trial jury had acquitted her of two counts of attempted murder, while being undecided on six other charges, including the one involving Baby K.
Earlier this week, a retrial jury convicted Letby of attempting to murder the “very premature” Baby K by dislodging her breathing tube on the night of February 17, 2016. Baby K’s mother, who had previously suffered a miscarriage, addressed the court, expressing the deep anguish caused by Letby’s actions.
“The devastation expands so far and for so long when a child is lost, let alone under these circumstances,” she said. “Will we get answers and the verdict that we want? Will that actually bring some peace and closure? Baby K is not here, never will be. We will never have what would give us peace, closure, or a feeling of being a complete family unit. However, you, Lucy Letby, will never hurt another child or have the privilege and joy that children give.”
Judge Mr. Justice Goss KC condemned Letby’s actions as “another shocking act of calculated, callous cruelty,” stating that she had “betrayed the trust of Baby K, her parents, and all those at the hospital.” He further criticized Letby for showing no remorse and for coldly denying responsibility, emphasizing that there were “no mitigating factors.”
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Letby had targeted Baby K shortly after her transfer from the delivery room to the neonatal unit. Approximately 90 minutes after the baby’s birth, Letby dislodged the breathing tube providing air and oxygen. The jury concluded that Letby then stood by the incubator, watching Baby K’s blood oxygen levels drop without intervening.
Consultant paediatrician Dr. Ravi Jayaram testified that he caught Letby “virtually red-handed” around 3:45 am on February 17, 2016, when he entered the intensive care room. Dr. Jayaram, who managed to resuscitate Baby K, stated that he saw “no evidence” of Letby assisting the baby as her condition deteriorated. He noted the absence of alarms or any calls for help from Letby.
Baby K was subsequently transferred to a specialist unit due to her extreme prematurity and passed away three days later. Her cause of death was recorded as extreme prematurity and severe respiratory distress syndrome. Letby, however, denied the allegations, claiming no recollection of the event described by Dr. Jayaram and insisting she had not harmed Baby K.
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Evans from Cheshire Police remarked that the sentence “once again reflects the true scale and gravity of her horrific crimes” and highlighted the torturous experience endured by Baby K’s parents in court.
“It also highlights the torturous journey that Baby K’s parents have had to endure at court – sitting and listening to extremely upsetting and distressing evidence about their newborn daughter – against constant denials from Letby. They have had to do this not once, but twice,” said DCI Evans.
Cheshire Police are currently reviewing 4,000 admissions of babies into neonatal units at hospitals where Letby worked or trained and are investigating potential criminal charges against the Countess of Chester Hospital. Detective Superintendent Simon Blackwell noted that an ongoing investigation into corporate manslaughter at the hospital is examining senior leadership and decision-making from June 2015 to June 2016.
Meanwhile, a public inquiry into how Letby was able to commit her crimes on the neonatal unit is scheduled to begin on September 10 at Liverpool Town Hall. Letby’s legal team had unsuccessfully appealed her previous convictions in April.
As Letby was led from the dock, she maintained her innocence, turning to the judge and stating, “I’m innocent.”
