MP Accuses Police of 'Fixing' on Lucy Letby in Flawed Investigation
The investigation into convicted neonatal nurse Lucy Letby has been described as "flawed" and potentially unlawful by a Conservative MP, who claims police were "fixed" on proving her guilt rather than examining all evidence.
Serious Allegations Against Cheshire Police
Tory MP Sir David Davis has launched a scathing attack on Cheshire Police, alleging they "cherry-picked" information to paint Letby in a negative light and may have broken rules during their investigation. Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, receiving 15 whole life orders with no possibility of release.
"Justice demands that the police look at everyone. It does not permit them to fix on one individual and build a case around them," Sir Davis stated in Parliament, calling for Letby to face a retrial.
Expert Concerns and Historical Comparisons
The MP cited two former police officers with extensive experience in healthcare crimes who initially believed Letby guilty but now consider her "the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice." These experts include Dr Steve Watts, who wrote National Police Guidelines for investigating healthcare deaths, and retired Detective Superintendent Stuart Clifton, who captured serial killer Beverley Allitt in 1991.
Sir Davis drew parallels between Letby's case and another woman convicted of murdering her two sons in 1998, who was cleared on appeal four years later after investigation by the same police force.
Hospital Failures Overlooked
The MP argued that systemic failures at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit were inadequately examined during the police investigation. The unit was downgraded to "level one" in 2016, preventing admission of seriously ill babies, with Sir Davis describing hospital management as "at best inadequate, and at worst, appalling."
A Royal College of Paediatricians review identified "numerous failures of medical care" at the facility, yet Letby became the singular "focus of suspicion" according to the MP.
Evidence Selection Criticised
Sir Davis highlighted a crucial trial exhibit - a table showing deaths during Letby's shifts - as evidence of skewed presentation. "Cheshire Police, who compiled the table, chose only to highlight the shifts during which Letby was present, while disregarding similar events when she was not," he stated, quoting Stuart Clifton's assessment that police "cherry-picked rota cases to match Letby's shifts."
Multiple Investigative Failures Alleged
The MP outlined several alleged failures in the investigation:
- Failure to treat doctors, other nurses, or cleaners as potential suspects
- Reliance on a single expert witness, Dr Dewi Evans, who allegedly adapts testimony to prosecution needs
- Failure to pursue alternative lines of inquiry
- Failure to refer the case to appropriate specialist bodies
- Failure to follow established guidance in appointing expert witnesses
- Failure to engage with complex statistical evidence
Defence and Government Responses
Letby's defence barrister Ben Myers KC previously told the court the hospital had repeatedly "failed" and blame was "heaped" upon his client, who worked in an "understaffed and overstretched" unit.
Policing minister Sarah Jones defended the conviction process, stating Letby was convicted following "a proper process" and Cheshire police had received "some of the highest ratings in the country" from the police inspectorate. She emphasized that due process had been followed with trial by jury and upheld on appeal.
Sir Davis announced he will write to the Director of Public Prosecutions about the perceived issues, echoing concerns raised by Letby's defence team during her trial.
