Cheshire Constabulary has publicly criticised the Crown Prosecution Service's decision not to pursue further criminal charges against convicted child killer nurse Lucy Letby. The police force stated that investigators believed they had gathered sufficient evidence to bring additional charges, but prosecutors ultimately disagreed after a thorough review.
Dispute Over Evidence Standards
In a rare move, Cheshire Police released a statement expressing their disappointment with the CPS determination. "We believed the evidence submitted met the Crown Prosecution Service charging standard," the force declared. "The CPS did not agree and despite our representations we must respect the decision that has been made."
Scope of Additional Allegations
The potential additional charges related to nine separate incidents at two different hospital facilities:
- Eight potential offences of attempted murder and one murder allegation at the Countess of Chester Hospital
- Two further allegations concerning one child at Liverpool Women's Hospital
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS's special crime and counter terrorism division, explained: "We concluded that the evidential test was not met in any of those cases. As always, this decision was made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test."
Letby's Current Legal Status
Lucy Letby, originally from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders following her conviction for:
- Murdering seven infants
- Attempting to murder seven others, including two attempts on one victim
These offences occurred between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby has already lost two separate appeals challenging her convictions last year.
Ongoing Campaign for Review
A group of campaigners continues to support Letby's claim of innocence, having submitted thirty-one reports to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. These documents were compiled by twenty-six internationally recognised experts who argue that "no babies were murdered."
Barrister Mark McDonald, representing Letby, stated: "Lucy Letby has always maintained her innocence – she has never hurt a child and never would. The reality is that a young innocent woman is in prison for crimes she has not committed."
Impact on Affected Families
The CPS confirmed they have written to all families involved in the additional allegations and will offer meetings to explain their decision-making process in greater detail. Cheshire Police urged the public to "respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved" during this difficult period.
The disagreement between police investigators and prosecutors highlights the complex legal standards required to bring criminal charges in such serious cases, particularly when dealing with historical medical evidence and contested expert testimony.
