Major Controversies Surrounding Lucy Letby: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Lucy Letby—discover key moments of controversy.

Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse in Britain, was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016. Investigations began after an unusual number of infant deaths occurred at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit, where Letby worked.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

July 2013: Suspension from Administering Controlled Drugs

In July 2013, Lucy Letby and a senior nurse set the infusion rate for a newborn's morphine at 10 times the correct amount, leading to a suspension from administering controlled drugs by the unit's deputy ward manager, which was lifted a week later.

June 2015: Infant deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital

In June 2015, a high number of unexpected infant deaths occurred at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, leading to an investigation of Lucy Letby.

June 2015: Unexpected Infant Deaths

In June 2015, four collapses occurred in the same neonatology unit of Countess of Chester Hospital, resulting in three infant deaths. The unit typically only saw two or three deaths a year.

June 2015: Higher than expected Neonatal death rate

Reports by the nationwide MBRRACE-UK project found a neonatal death rate at least 10% higher than expected between June 2015 and June 2016.

August 2015: Infant Death and Twin Became Unwell

In August 2015, an infant, Baby E, died, and his twin, Baby F, became seriously unwell but recovered. During the investigation, unusual blood test results for Baby F and another infant, Baby L, were found, indicating possible insulin poisoning.

2015: Police Investigating Suspicious Incidents

Following the verdict, police investigated whether Lucy Letby harmed other babies. There was an ongoing investigation into "suspicious" incidents at the Countess of Chester Hospital involving about 30 infants. Neonatologists reviewed admissions at the hospital and Liverpool Women's Hospital where she had worked until 2015, identifying "unexpected and unexplained" deteriorations.

2015: Letby's Text Messages and Actions

In 2015, Lucy Letby sent texts described as "live blogging" and displaying "intrusive curiosity" by the Crown Prosecution Service. She offered to do more shifts after a baby's death, had a text exchange about intensive care room assignments, and replied to a text about baby deaths, mentioning "an element of fate".

2015: Suspicious Incidents Began

In 2015, the prosecution argued that suspicious incidents began when Lucy Letby qualified to work with infants in intensive care.

February 2016: CQC Visit and Concerns

During a hospital visit in February 2016, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was informed of difficulties in raising concerns with managers, but heard no mention of an elevated mortality rate.

February 2016: Consultant Witnessed Letby with Desaturating Infant

In February 2016, a consultant testified that he found Lucy Letby standing over a desaturating infant without intervening. She told him the infant had just started declining. The infant survived.

April 2016: Antibiotic Administration Error

In April 2016, Lucy Letby administered antibiotics to an infant that was not prescribed them, misclassifying it as a "minor error".

April 2016: Letby Reassigned from Night Shifts

In April 2016, Lucy Letby was reassigned from night shifts to day shifts by the ward manager, which resulted in a shift in the distribution of incidents.

May 2016: Executive Team's Decision

In May 2016, the executive team deemed the spike in deaths to be coincidental and no substantial action was taken.

June 2016: Babies Almost Died Under Letby's Care

Between March and June 2016, three babies almost died while under Lucy Letby's care. Near the end of June, she was caring for triplets, and the consecutive deaths of two boys caused significant distress among staff.

June 2016: Request for Removal from Clinical Duties

In June 2016, Stephen Brearey, lead neonatologist, asked management to remove Lucy Letby from clinical duties pending an investigation into her conduct.

June 2016: Infant deaths at Countess of Chester Hospital

In June 2016, a high number of unexpected infant deaths occurred at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, leading to an investigation of Lucy Letby.

June 2016: Transfer from clinical duties

In late June 2016, Lucy Letby was transferred from clinical duties.

June 2016: Brearey's Demand and Executive Response

On 24 June 2016, Stephen Brearey phoned the duty executive following two more deaths, demanding that Lucy Letby be removed from the unit, however the duty executive insisted that Letby was safe to work. The Trust's executive directors discussed involving the police at the end of June, but decided against it.

July 2016: Scaling Back of Unit Services

In July 2016, Lucy Letby was removed from the unit, working her last shift there on June 30th, and the unit's services were scaled back by hospital managers on July 7th, 2016, cutting cot space numbers and increasing the gestational age limit for admission.

July 2016: Transfer to Patient Experience Team

In July 2016, Lucy Letby was transferred to the patient experience team, and later to the risk and patient safety office.

September 2016: Formal Grievance Raised

In September 2016, Lucy Letby raised a formal grievance about her late June 2016 transfer from clinical duties.

September 2016: RCPCH Service Review Initiated

In September 2016, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) was tasked with a general review of the unit's service, and the review was initiated.

October 2016: RCPCH Report

In October 2016, the RCPCH reported they could not find a definitive explanation for the increase in mortality rate at the unit, but found insufficient staffing and senior cover. They also praised Lucy Letby's nursing skills.

December 2016: Meeting with Letby and her Parents

On 22 December 2016, the chief executive met with Lucy Letby and her parents to apologise on behalf of the trust and assure them that the doctors who made the allegations would be "dealt with".

January 2017: Grievance Upheld

In January 2017, Lucy Letby's grievance was upheld by the board, which determined her removal had been "orchestrated by the consultants with no hard evidence".

February 2017: Letter of Apology

In February 2017, the consultants sent a letter of apology to Lucy Letby, as ordered by the chief executive.

March 2017: Consultants Request Police Involvement

In March 2017, four consultants, including Stephen Brearey and Ravi Jayaram, asked management to involve the police after receiving advice for further investigation from the regional neonatal lead.

April 2017: Meeting with Cheshire Constabulary

On 27 April 2017, Stephen Brearey and Ravi Jayaram met with Cheshire Constabulary to raise their concerns, with Lucy Letby due to return to work on 3 May 2017.

May 2017: Public Announcement of Police Involvement

In May 2017, the trust publicly announced the involvement of the police, stating this move was to "seek assurances that enable us to rule out unnatural causes of death."

May 2017: Letby due to return to work

Lucy Letby was due to return to work on 3 May 2017.

July 2018: Letby Arrested and Bailed

On 3 July 2018, Lucy Letby was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. Following her arrest, police expanded their investigation to include her tenure at Liverpool Women's Hospital. She was subsequently bailed on 6 July 2018.

August 2018: Medical Director Retired

In August 2018, the medical director of the Countess of Chester Hospital retired amidst the investigation into the incidents.

September 2018: Chief Executive Resigned

In September 2018, the chief executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital resigned after signing a non-disclosure agreement, amidst the investigation into the incidents.

2018: Arrest

In 2018, Lucy Letby was arrested.

June 2019: Letby Rearrested and Bailed Again

In June 2019, specifically on the 10th, Lucy Letby was rearrested, but was bailed again on 13 June 2019.

November 2020: Letby Charged with Murder and Attempted Murder

In November 2020, Lucy Letby was charged with seven counts of murder and fifteen counts of attempted murder relating to seventeen babies and pleaded not guilty.

November 2020: Letby Arrested and Denied Bail

In November 2020, on the 10th, Lucy Letby was arrested again and this time denied bail. Letby denied all charges, citing hospital hygiene and staffing levels as potential issues.

October 2022: Letby's Trial Begins

In October 2022, on the 10th, Lucy Letby's trial commenced at Manchester Crown Court before Mr. Justice Goss. She pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder and 15 counts of attempted murder. Her parents and the victims' families were present.

May 2023: Letby Gave Evidence in Court

In May 2023, Lucy Letby testified in court. She claimed she felt incompetent but meant no harm, stating the allegations negatively impacted her mental health and isolated her from friends. Her testimony included contradictions and increased frustration, differing from her usual calm demeanor.

August 2023: Letby's Sentencing and Government Response

In August 2023, Lucy Letby did not attend her sentencing hearing. In response, the government considered changing the law to compel defendants to attend. On 30 August 2023, Rishi Sunak announced legislation to compel attendance, with potential force and added prison time.

August 2023: Letby Found Guilty

In August 2023, Lucy Letby was found guilty on seven counts each of murder and attempted murder.

August 2023: Nursing Director Suspended

In August 2023, the nursing director at the Countess of Chester Hospital at the time Lucy Letby was based there was suspended from her job. The Nursing and Midwifery Council announced an investigation into her fitness to practice.

August 2023: Letby Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

On 21 August 2023, Lucy Letby received a whole life order, the most severe sentence in English law. Justice Goss described her actions as a "cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder" with no remorse or mitigating factors.

October 2023: Corporate Manslaughter Investigation Announced

In October 2023, on the 4th, Cheshire Constabulary announced an investigation into corporate manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

2023: Media Reports on Concerns

In 2023, reports from The Guardian and The Times stated that Stephen Brearey was suspicious of Letby beginning in 2015 and accused the hospital of negligence for ignoring his concerns.

May 2024: Article Questions Conviction

In May 2024, The New Yorker published an article by Rachel Aviv questioning Lucy Letby's conviction, pointing to staffing shortages, hygiene issues, and previous incidents at the hospital.

June 2024: Retrial Started

On 10 June 2024, the retrial against Lucy Letby began.

July 2024: Letby convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to life imprisonment

In July 2024, Lucy Letby was convicted of an attempted murder charge on which the jury had previously failed to find a verdict. She was then sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order.

July 2024: Letby Found Guilty and Sentenced

In July 2024, Lucy Letby was found guilty of attempted murder on 2 July and sentenced to another whole-life order on 5 July 2024.

July 2024: Concerns Published in the Press

Since the conclusion of her second trial in July 2024 and the lifting of associated reporting restrictions, some medical, statistical and scientific experts have expressed doubts about her convictions.

August 2024: Experts Request Inquiry Postponement

In August 2024, a group of experts requested that the inquiry be postponed and its terms changed due to concerns about the safety of Letby's convictions. The inquiry rejected these suggestions.

August 2024: Report of Bacterial Outbreak Leaked

In August 2024, a report was leaked to The Telegraph revealing that the unit where Lucy Letby worked had suffered an outbreak of a dangerous bacteria during the period in which the infants she was convicted of murdering died.

August 2024: Swipe Data Mislabeling Confirmed

In August 2024, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that during the first trial, swipe data for one of the doors to the neonatal unit had been mislabelled such that entries and exits were reversed.

September 2024: Government Inquiry into Deaths

In September 2024, the British government commissioned an independent statutory inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths associated with Lucy Letby; hearings began in September 2024.

September 2024: Royal Statistical Society Meeting

In September 2024, the Royal Statistical Society held a meeting to discuss concerns about the prosecution's evidence. They made comparisons with miscarriages of justice involving other nurses.

September 2024: Public Inquiry Begins

In September 2024, the public inquiry into the Lucy Letby case began. Witnesses gave testimonies about Letby's behavior.

November 2024: Dewi Evans Acknowledged Pseudomonas in Water Supplies

In a November 2024 interview, Dewi Evans acknowledged the presence of pseudomonas in the neonatal unit's water supplies, leading to cases of pneumonia.

December 2024: New Applications Prepared

In December 2024, Mark McDonald announced that he was preparing new applications to both the Court of Appeal and the Criminal Cases Review Commission, challenging the reliability of the prosecution's expert witness.

2024: Expert Panel Convened

After Lucy Letby's unsuccessful application for leave to appeal in 2024, Shoo Lee convened a panel of 14 medical experts from six countries to review all of the cases from Letby's trials.

2024: Proposed Legislation Regarding Criminal Sentencing

In 2024, a new clause was proposed to the criminal justice bill that would compel convicted criminals to attend their sentencing hearings, by force if necessary, or face the prospect of more time in prison.

2024: Lightfoot Inquiry Statement

In a 2024 inquiry, Nicola Lightfoot stated she had found Lucy Letby to be "cold".

February 2025: Expert Panel Finds No Evidence of Deliberate Harm

In February 2025, a panel of 14 international experts, convened by neonatologist Shoo Lee, presented findings that all incidents could be explained by natural causes and/or substandard care, finding no evidence of deliberate harm.

February 2025: Lee Reports Panel Findings and Calls for Release

On February 3, 2025, Shoo Lee reported that the panel "did not find any murders" and called for Lucy Letby to be immediately released from prison and placed under house arrest until the case can be retried. In parallel, Letby's legal team applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to review the case.

February 2025: Legal Team Applies for Case Review and Medical Expert Findings Released

On February 4, 2025, Lucy Letby's legal team applied for her case to be reviewed as a potential miscarriage of justice. Coinciding with this application, findings from a panel of 14 international medical experts, chaired by Shoo Lee, concluded that there was no medical evidence to support claims that Letby deliberately harmed or murdered babies.

March 2025: Inquiry Pause Rejected

In March 2025, Thirlwall rejected the request from Lucy Letby's lawyers and supporters to pause the inquiry while her appeal to the Criminal Cases Review Commission is considered.