The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby will face no new charges in connection with the alleged murder or harm of babies. Letby, 36, is currently serving 15 whole-life prison terms for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of seven others between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The CPS had been examining potential further charges involving nine babies, including the alleged murder of a baby at the Countess of Chester and another at Liverpool Women's Hospital. However, prosecutors concluded that the evidence did not meet the required legal test to bring fresh charges. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS's special crime division, confirmed that the families of the babies involved have been informed and offered meetings to explain the decision.
Cheshire Constabulary, which has been investigating Letby since 2017, expressed surprise and disappointment at the outcome. The force stated that the decision does not undermine Letby's existing convictions and that its separate inquiry into hospital management continues. Three former senior leaders at the Countess of Chester were arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and remain on bail.
Letby has consistently maintained her innocence, arguing that the babies' deaths and illnesses resulted from poor care and underqualified staff. Her legal team has referred the case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which is reviewing a dossier of 31 reports from 26 experts that they claim significantly undermine her convictions. Conservative MP David Davis, who has described Letby as a victim of a major injustice, welcomed the CPS decision and urged a swift CCRC review.
