Lawyers for the former nurse Lucy Letby have called for the suspension of the inquiry into the events surrounding her crimes, claiming there was “overwhelming and compelling evidence” that her convictions are unsafe.
The Thirlwall Inquiry is this week hearing closing submissions after the conclusion of the evidence which first started to be heard last September.
The final report is due to be published in the autumn, but the lawyers have written to Lady Justice Thirlwall arguing it should be paused to allow for a review into Letby’s convictions.
The letter, seen by Sky News, says there is “now substantial evidence that undermines all the convictions” and any report could be “based on the wrong premise” and will “not only be redundant but likely unreliable”.
On Monday, Lady Justice Thirlwall said she had also received a request for the inquiry to be suspended last month from counsel for the management team at Countess Of Chester Hospital at the time Letby attacked babies in 2015 and 2016.
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The hospital’s former senior executives made the request weeks after an international panel of neonatologists and paediatric specialists said bad medical care and natural causes were the reasons for the collapses and deaths on the neo-natal unit.
Those medical findings have been passed to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice.
Lawyers for the former hospital executives have also written to the health secretary calling for the inquiry’s suspension.
Letby’s legal team hope her case will eventually be referred back to the Court Of Appeal.
The 35-year-old former nurse from Hereford is serving 15 whole-life prison terms.
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She was convicted across two trials at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.
In the letter to Lady Justice Thirlwall, Letby’s lawyers wrote: “It is estimated that over £10m has been spent so far on the inquiry.
“It is now clear there is overwhelming and compelling evidence that Lucy Letby’s convictions are unsafe.
“For the inquiry to be effective and the taxpayer’s money not to be wasted, we urge that the inquiry be suspended and to wait for the outcome of the review to take place.”
