The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that former nurse Lucy Letby will face no new charges in connection with the deaths or harm of babies. Letby, 36, is currently serving 15 whole-life prison terms for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.
The CPS had been considering further charges related to nine babies, including the alleged murder of a baby at the Countess of Chester Hospital 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, stated that the families of the babies 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 emphasised that the decision does not undermine Letby's existing convictions and that its investigation into hospital bosses continues. Three former senior leaders at the Countess of Chester Hospital were arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and remain on bail.
Letby has consistently maintained her innocence, claiming that the babies died or became seriously ill due to poor care and underqualified staff. Her legal team has referred the case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which is considering a dossier of 31 reports from 26 experts that they argue significantly undermine her convictions. Mark McDonald, Letby's barrister, said there is 'overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered' and called for an urgent referral back to the Court of Appeal.
Senior Conservative MP David Davis, who has described Letby as a victim of a major injustice, welcomed the CPS decision and urged the CCRC to conclude its review quickly. Cheshire Constabulary stated that it stands by its original investigation and that its inquiry into alleged corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter by hospital bosses remains ongoing.
