Lucy Letby Seeks Appeal After New Evidence Emerges in Infamous Baby Murders Case
The former neonatal nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital is now seeking to appeal her conviction. Lucy Letby, who was sentenced to a rare whole-life term in August 2023, had her appeal rejected in May 2024.
However, her legal team, led by barrister Mark McDonald, is set to ask the Court of Appeal to review all of Letby’s convictions based on new evidence. The team highlighted significant developments, including a statement from an expert witness who has since “changed his mind” regarding the deaths of three babies, known as Baby C, Baby I, and Baby P, reported by AP News.
Letby’s legal team also pointed to fresh testimony from Dr. Richard Taylor, a neonatologist from Victoria, British Columbia. Dr. Taylor’s concerns were raised after reviewing the full report on the death of Baby O. The doctor explained that a medical mistake may have contributed to the baby’s death, disturbing him greatly.
Dr. Taylor revealed that doctors had tried to relieve a build-up of gas in Baby O’s abdomen, known as apnoea, by inserting a needle on the right side rather than the left. Due to the high pressure from the gas build-up, Baby O’s liver was pushed down toward the pelvis, which ultimately led to the liver being accidentally lacerated. The mistake resulted in bleeding into the abdomen and shock, which doctors failed to resuscitate.
“The baby was not unwell, particularly, but was put on very high-pressure settings,” Dr. Taylor stated, emphasizing that the pressure settings were “inappropriate.” He suggested that the needle perforation of the liver occurred while Baby O was still being ventilated. “The baby went into shock,” Dr. Taylor said.
He also expressed personal regret, adding, “The doctor knows who they are. I have to say from a personal point of view that if this had happened to me, I would be unable to sleep at night knowing that what I had done had led to the death of a baby and now there is a nurse in jail convicted of murder.”
During a press conference on Monday, Mark McDonald, Letby’s barrister, explained the grounds for the appeal. McDonald emphasized concerns regarding the admissibility of evidence presented by the prosecution’s lead expert, Dr. Dewi Evans. He noted that Dr. Evans had since changed his stance on the cause of death for the three babies in question.