Barrister for Serial Killer Nurse Faces Professional Misconduct Complaint
The barrister representing convicted child murderer Lucy Letby has been reported to the Bar Standards Board for alleged professional misconduct, according to exclusive reports. Families of the victims have lodged a formal complaint against Mark McDonald with the legal regulator, expressing fury that a confidential letter sent by Letby's defence team to a coroner was subsequently leaked to a Sunday newspaper.
Breach of Reporting Restrictions Alleged
Strict reporting restrictions imposed by a High Court judge explicitly forbid the publication of any identities of the babies involved in the horrific case. The controversial correspondence, written by Mr McDonald's then-instructing solicitors, requested that Letby be granted 'interested party' status in upcoming inquests into the deaths of her victims. Alarmingly, this document contained the full names of the infants.
At a pre-inquest hearing last month, Jacqueline Devonish, the senior coroner for Cheshire, questioned how the Sunday Times had obtained the sensitive correspondence. Ms Devonish described the inclusion of the babies' names as 'very concerning' and suggested to Mr McDonald that whoever leaked the letter to the newspaper had acted 'recklessly.'
Barrister Denies Wrongdoing as Families Express Distress
Mr McDonald vehemently defended his position, insisting that the press already knew the babies' names, no reporting restrictions had been breached, and that neither he nor his solicitors had 'sent the letter to anyone other than yourself.' He stated categorically, 'There's been no professional misconduct.'
However, Richard Baker KC, representing the grieving families, told the same hearing that his clients had been 'extremely distressed' to learn their babies' names had been 'recklessly disclosed to a third party.' He emphasized, 'As far as the families are concerned those names are not to be bandied about.'
Coroner Issues Stern Warning and Regulatory Threat
Ms Devonish issued a stark warning to Mr McDonald against any further leaks, declaring: 'Otherwise I will report (it) to the regulatory authorities.' A spokesman for the Bar Standards Board confirmed that complaints are typically handled confidentially unless listed for a disciplinary tribunal hearing. While no listing has been made for Mr McDonald to date, sources indicate that preliminary investigations are now underway.
Filing a complaint with the Bar Standards Board represents the legal profession's equivalent of a doctor being referred to the General Medical Council. The ultimate sanction for barristers found guilty of professional misconduct is disbarment—permanent removal from the professional register.
Letby's Defence Maintains Innocence Amid Ongoing Proceedings
Lucy Letby, 36, is currently serving a record 15 whole life terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more—one of whom she attacked twice—at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She has consistently maintained her innocence.
Although Letby has twice failed to secure leave to appeal her convictions, Mr McDonald has submitted new expert medical reports to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, hoping the Court of Appeal will hear her case a third time. Inquests into the deaths of five victims were opened and adjourned last month, with the coroner granting Letby 'interested party' status for those proceedings.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Letby has appointed another barrister, Anton van Dellen—who was once acquitted of grooming a teenage boy for sex—to represent her in the scheduled September hearings. Mr McDonald responded to the Daily Mail by stating he was 'unaware of any complaint' against him and suggested this was 'yet another attempt to attack my professional integrity' rather than engage with expert arguments for Letby's innocence.
