Lucy Letby has known as for the general public inquiry into her crimes to be halted, arguing there’s now “overwhelming and compelling” proof undermining her child homicide convictions.
Legal professionals for the previous nurse took the extraordinary step of writing to Woman Justice Thirlwall on Monday to say that the inquiry – which is because of finish on Wednesday – must be suspended instantly.
In a letter seen by the Guardian, they stated the decide’s last report would “not solely be redundant however possible unreliable” until it was paused till the conclusion of a evaluate of her convictions.
They added: “It’s estimated that over £10m has been spent thus far on the inquiry. It’s now clear there’s overwhelming and compelling proof that Lucy Letby’s convictions are unsafe.
“For the inquiry to be efficient and that taxpayer’s cash to not be wasted, we urge that the inquiry be suspended and to attend for the result of the evaluate to happen.”
Letby, 35, is serving 15 whole-life jail phrases after being convicted of murdering seven infants and making an attempt to kill one other seven on the Countess of Chester hospital in north-west England.
The previous nurse, who has all the time protested her innocence, has misplaced two makes an attempt to overturn her convictions on the courtroom of attraction.
The Felony Instances Evaluate Fee (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, is analyzing recent materials submitted by a variety of consultants on behalf of Letby final month.
Barristers for NHS England and the Countess of Chester hospital stated any choice to postpone the inquiry was primarily for the well being secretary, Wes Streeting, to absorb session with Thirlwall because the inquiry chair.
Andrew Kennedy KC, representing the Countess of Chester hospital, urged the decide to not pause her work as a result of it might delay modifications that have been “desperately wanted”.
Individually, attorneys for a collection of organisations expressed remorse over their dealing with of the Letby case.
The Care High quality Fee, a well being watchdog, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the nurses’ regulator, each stated they need to have proven larger “skilled curiosity” after they grew to become concerned in 2016.
The Royal Faculty of Paediatrics and Youngster Well being stated its evaluate of the neonatal unit on behalf of the hospital govt was “singularly inapposite and fallacious” and “ought to by no means have taken place” given the intense allegations in opposition to Letby on the time.
In its closing submissions, the Division of Well being and Social Care made an “unequivocal” apology to the bereaved households and stated it bore “final duty” for failings.
Neil Sheldon KC, for the division, stated ministers have been decided to be taught the teachings from this inquiry, admitting that there had been a “failure to be taught from previous incidents”.
Legal professionals for Letby stated 16 specialists from seven nations had compiled “by far the biggest forensic skilled neonatal evaluate ever undertaken”.
The conclusion of this, they added, was that there was “no proof of dangerous acts” however that there have been “a litany of errors by the treating clinicians”.
They stated the skilled reviews supplied a “compelling different rationalization” for every of the deaths and non-fatal collapses and “closely criticise” the medical care by these engaged on the neonatal unit.
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Letby’s authorized crew stated it might submit all of this proof to the CCRC this week and would meet commissioners within the close to future.
They stated it was “possible that the CCRC won’t take lengthy” to think about the fabric earlier than referring the case again to the courtroom of attraction, which it will possibly do if it believes there’s a “actual risk” that the convictions could possibly be quashed.
The letter added: “If, given the overwhelming proof that the convictions are unsafe, they’re overturned, then any report produced by the inquiry might be based mostly on the fallacious premise.
“This error will pollute the very nature of the report and any conclusions or certainly suggestions might be of little worth.
“In brief, it is going to defeat the aim of a public inquiry, to completely and fearlessly perceive the circumstances during which the infants died or grew to become unwell.”
The requires the inquiry to be paused got here days after Cheshire constabulary stated it was investigating different hospital workers in reference to gross negligence manslaughter over the deaths. The pressure stated on the time that this inquiry wouldn’t “impression on the convictions of Lucy Letby for a number of offences of homicide and tried homicide”.
Detectives are additionally investigating deaths and non-fatal collapses of different infants on the neonatal items of the Countess of Chester and Liverpool ladies’s hospital between 2012 and 2016.
The Thirlwall inquiry has been analyzing the circumstances surrounding the deaths and near-deaths since September final yr, with a last report due later this yr.
Thirlwall stated on Monday that she had additionally obtained a request on behalf of former executives on the Countess of Chester – together with the previous chief govt Tony Chambers and the ex-medical director Ian Harvey – to pause the inquiry.
The inquiry, sitting at Liverpool city corridor, is because of hear from the barrister representing the executives later this week.
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