Doctor Expresses 'Tiny Guilt' Over Lucy Letby Conviction in New Documentary
A senior doctor who played a crucial role in the conviction of serial killer nurse Lucy Letby has revealed he lives with a "tiny, tiny guilt" that authorities may have apprehended the "wrong person." This startling admission features prominently in a new Netflix documentary examining one of Britain's most harrowing criminal cases, which releases globally on Wednesday, 4 February 2026.
Consultant Paediatrician's Conflicted Testimony
Consultant paediatrician Dr John Gibbs, who was among the group of doctors at the Countess of Chester Hospital who first raised alarms, provided candid testimony for the film. "I live with two guilts," Dr Gibbs stated. "Guilt that we let the babies down, and tiny tiny tiny guilt - did we get the wrong person?" He elaborated that while he does not believe a miscarriage of justice occurred, the absence of direct eyewitness evidence creates a persistent worry. "There's guilt you know just in case, miscarriage of justice. I don't think there was a miscarriage of justice, but you worry that no one actually saw her do it."
Dr Gibbs described Letby as a "quiet nurse" who initially appeared "conscientious." However, a concerning pattern emerged during a spate of unexpected infant collapses and deaths on the neonatal unit starting in June 2015. The common denominator, he noted, was Letby's "central role" during each tragic incident. The nurse, now 36, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.
Documentary Presents Competing Narratives
The Netflix production, titled The Investigation Of Lucy Letby, presents a multifaceted view of the case. It features new testimony from investigating police officers and includes the first public interview with a family member of a victim. The film also gives a platform to voices who doubt the safety of Letby's conviction, including her new barrister, Mark McDonald, and a panel of international medical experts.
One such expert, Canadian neonatal care specialist Dr Shoo Lee, argued in clips from a 2025 press conference that alternative explanations exist for each conviction. "In all cases death or injury were due to natural causes or just bad medical care," Dr Lee asserted. Responding to this critique in the documentary, Dr Gibbs acknowledged a "kernel of truth" in criticisms about NHS understaffing but maintained that similar pressures existed before 2015 without the same catastrophic outcomes.
Victim's Mother Condemns 'Show' Mentality
The documentary includes powerful testimony from Sarah, the mother of baby Zoe, who died unexpectedly in June 2015. Zoe was the third infant to die on the unit in just over two weeks. Sarah recalled recognising Letby "straightaway" from news reports after the nurse was charged. She described a haunting memory of Letby holding a clipboard but not performing any tasks during a visit. "She was just there, watching us," Sarah said.
Sarah expressed profound anger at the manner in which sceptics like Dr Lee were presented, particularly after MP Sir David Davis introduced the expert as the "star of the show." "This is not a show. There is no star. This is nothing to smile about," she stated. "The audacity from a politician to introduce someone like this, it is disgusting."
Personal Portraits and Family Anguish
The documentary also paints a personal portrait of Lucy Letby through the eyes of her close friend Maisie, who studied nursing with her. Maisie described Letby as an eager professional with a "quirky sense of humour" who struggled to fit in with other staff. "I started to think that some people were going out of their way to make things hard for Lucy," Maisie recalled.
Heartbreaking prison letters from Letby to Maisie, sent before her trial, reveal her attempts to remain positive and her concern for her cats. Meanwhile, Letby's parents have fiercely criticised Netflix for including footage of her arrests inside their family home without their knowledge. In a statement to The Sunday Times, they called the documentary "on another level" of distress and said watching it "would likely kill us."
Ongoing Legal and Investigative Context
The documentary's release coincides with ongoing legal developments. Last month, prosecutors confirmed Letby would face no further charges related to eight additional potential offences of attempted murder and one of murder that were investigated by Cheshire Constabulary. The police force publicly expressed disappointment with this decision, stating it was "not the outcome that we had anticipated."
Furthermore, a campaign group supporting Letby has submitted reports to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in an effort to have her convictions overturned. Dr Gibbs's own testimony to the ongoing Thirlwall Inquiry, where he said he felt "ashamed" for not protecting babies and "at fault" for not going to police sooner in 2016, adds another layer to this complex and emotionally charged case that continues to divide medical, legal, and public opinion.
