Convicted serial killer Lucy Letby has spent her 36th birthday in a prison cell, with her barrister revealing the only correspondence marking the occasion came from a disturbing group of supporters.
A 'Bleak' Birthday Behind Bars
Lucy Letby, the former neonatal nurse serving 15 whole-life orders for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, celebrated her fifth birthday in custody on 4 January 2026. Her barrister, Mark McDonald, described the day as "bleak," stating she spent it alone in her cell at HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Surrey, without cake or candles.
Mr McDonald told The Mirror that Letby's existence in the prison is consistently grim. However, he confirmed she has been receiving letters and birthday cards from a coterie of followers who maintain her innocence. "She is getting people writing to her now and sending her cards," he said, adding that such gestures can serve as "a cruel reminder that you are in prison."
Claims of Innocence and Outraged Families
This support stems from a panel of so-called experts, led by Dr Shoo Lee, which in February 2025 claimed to possess evidence proving Letby's innocence. The panel argued the infant deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital were due to natural causes and systemic failures in the under-resourced unit.
These claims have been vehemently rejected by the parents of Letby's victims. One parent labelled the panel's actions a "publicity stunt," telling the Daily Mail: "We've had the truth. We believe in the British justice system, we believe the jury made the right decision." Lawyers for other families criticised the findings as "full of analytical holes" and merely a rehash of the defence case presented at trial.
The Fight for Freedom and a Controversial Character
Despite the overwhelming evidence that led to her conviction for injecting air into babies' bloodstreams, Letby continues to protest her innocence. Mr McDonald stated he speaks to her most weeks and that new expert reports are being prepared in a bid to overturn the convictions. "We are trying to make this her last birthday in prison," he asserted.
In a startling character assessment, Mr McDonald also claimed the woman dubbed the "angel of death" by the press "loves children." Letby's fellow inmates at the enhanced Unit 4 of HMP Bronzefield include other notorious criminals such as Beniash Batool, convicted for killing Sara Sharif, and child sex ringleader Marie Black.
As Letby's legal team prepares its latest appeal, the families of her victims continue to endure their grief, facing fresh anguish with each new claim made by her supporters.
