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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that Lucy Letby will get a new trial?

996 replies

NameChangeMay2026 · 28/05/2026 17:40

The previous thread on Letby is almost full. Posting here for traffic.

If we have any lawyers here, what do you think the likelihood is of Letby getting a new trial? I'm a layperson, but I'm going to guess that she will get one. It seems that many, many rebuttals have appeared since her conviction.

YABU - she will not get a new trial. The case is settled.
YANBU - the new evidence/discussion is compelling and she will probably get a re-trial.

I've been mainly convinced of her guilt, but I have started reading the free Private Eye series on the case by Phil Hammond. Now I don't know what to think. Here's the series, if anyone wants to read it. https://www.private-eye.co.uk/special-reports/lucy-letby

Special Report: The Lessons of the Lucy Letby Case

After Lucy Letby was convicted in August 2023 of murdering seven babies, a number of experts contacted Eye columnist MD because they

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/special-reports/lucy-letby

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11
Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 22:14

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 22:05

They only brought so many to court-ones they thought they could get a conviction on. It may be she was there for the rest also but they had more complex problems and it was harder to prove harm.

When you see the reports on these children's conditions, it really doesn't seem necessary to invent murders to explain their deaths.

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 22:14

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 22:10

Yes because it's THAT obvious she's guilty. They're no better than the experts that testified in court. Everything that could've been a possible explanation was already gone over with a fine tooth comb. If people think the jury didn't hear everything then I dread to think how long they expect a trial to last. 5 years maybe.

I haven't read the court transcripts, so I don't know what was examined during the trial.

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Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 22:12

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 21:56

I think Baby O had their first deterioration in the hours before LL came on shift.

Baby P as well, and Baby I had several collapses when Lucy Letby wasn't on shift, including at least one at another hospital.

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 22:10

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 22:03

@Firefly1987 Have you really managed to read 35 PE reports, and the New Yorker article, and seen that 14 international experts have expressed huge doubts about the case, as well as many other experts and reporters at broadsheets, and none of that has raised a single doubt for you? Or made you think that the trial could have been unfair and badly managed? SO much has come out that the jury didn't hear. We only started to hear after lengthy reporting restrictions were lifted.

Yes because it's THAT obvious she's guilty. They're no better than the experts that testified in court. Everything that could've been a possible explanation was already gone over with a fine tooth comb. If people think the jury didn't hear everything then I dread to think how long they expect a trial to last. 5 years maybe.

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 22:05

Aluna · 01/06/2026 22:03

Some of that is accurate and some isn’t. It would be better to use the hospital’s own data which is in the public domain.

How do you explain the 6 deaths LL was not charged with? They are a cluster in themselves.

They only brought so many to court-ones they thought they could get a conviction on. It may be she was there for the rest also but they had more complex problems and it was harder to prove harm.

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 22:03

followtheswallow · 01/06/2026 16:50

‘Babykiller’ isn’t a word and can we not use it? There’s something horrible about it and it isn’t respectful at all.

It's literally factual-she IS a baby killer. What would you prefer?

Aluna · 01/06/2026 22:03

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:08

For those wondering if there were lots of death when Lucy Letby wasn't on duty. I asked chatGPT and based on the Thirlwall enquiry it came up with this-

Evidence presented to the Thirlwall Inquiry indicated that:

  • 13 babies died on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
  • Letby was reportedly present for 10 of those 13 deaths.
  • She was on the preceding shift for 2 additional babies who later died.
  • She was not connected to 1 of the 13 deaths.
There were also 4 further deaths after babies had been transferred to other hospitals, and Letby was not present at those deaths.

was she on shift at the point of collapse for the babies that died elsewhere?

Yes—but with some important nuance. Based on inquiry reporting and media coverage:
There were 4 babies who later died after being transferred to other hospitals.
Lucy Letby was on shift at the time those babies initially collapsed or deteriorated on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit, before transfer.
She was not physically present at the time of their deaths at the other hospitals.
So technically, she was present for the initial medical events that led to their transfers, but not present for the final deaths.

So there was only one death she wasn't connected to AT ALL and possibly because that baby died before it ever went onto her unit. She's even connected to the babies who died at other hospitals.

Some of that is accurate and some isn’t. It would be better to use the hospital’s own data which is in the public domain.

How do you explain the 6 deaths LL was not charged with? They are a cluster in themselves.

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 22:03

@Firefly1987 Have you really managed to read 35 PE reports, and the New Yorker article, and seen that 14 international experts have expressed huge doubts about the case, as well as many other experts and reporters at broadsheets, and none of that has raised a single doubt for you? Or made you think that the trial could have been unfair and badly managed? SO much has come out that the jury didn't hear. We only started to hear after lengthy reporting restrictions were lifted.

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Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 21:58

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:53

A lot of people misunderstand things in this case like the amount of people who think "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"-as if a baby killer should have more of a chance to get off than someone accused of a low level crime. No she's held to the same standard as everyone else accused of a crime. She doesn't get special consideration because her crimes are the worst of the worst.

No one who knows she's guilty thinks there's reasonable doubt in spades. That's what her PR company have convinced you of. It's not reality.

Nobody has suggested that on this thread. I'm sure ordinary (relevant, scientifically rigorous) evidence would do just fine.

Extraordinary claims like, she died of a phenomenon that has never been known to kill anyone, this rash from medical phenomenon A causes phenomenon B, she killed this child by unknown means and nobody standing around the cot noticed it, the pathologist who actually saw the body failed to notice an injury with the force of a car crash, we eliminated all natural causes from the medical notes alone, unlike the pathologists who actually saw the bodies? Yes, they'd require extraordinary evidence.

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 21:58

Aluna · 01/06/2026 20:39

To go back to the original question: I cannot see how this case can be retried. There never was any evidence of intentional harm in any of the cases or anything to link the deaths of the babies to LL in particular.

If protocols within the CJS had been followed including multi-disciplinary panel to assess thoroughly each case, and the police investigation referred to the Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division in London as it should - the case would never have come to court.

There is literally nothing to try.

If there's no case to try, then she needs her conviction quashed.

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NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 21:56

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:08

For those wondering if there were lots of death when Lucy Letby wasn't on duty. I asked chatGPT and based on the Thirlwall enquiry it came up with this-

Evidence presented to the Thirlwall Inquiry indicated that:

  • 13 babies died on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
  • Letby was reportedly present for 10 of those 13 deaths.
  • She was on the preceding shift for 2 additional babies who later died.
  • She was not connected to 1 of the 13 deaths.
There were also 4 further deaths after babies had been transferred to other hospitals, and Letby was not present at those deaths.

was she on shift at the point of collapse for the babies that died elsewhere?

Yes—but with some important nuance. Based on inquiry reporting and media coverage:
There were 4 babies who later died after being transferred to other hospitals.
Lucy Letby was on shift at the time those babies initially collapsed or deteriorated on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit, before transfer.
She was not physically present at the time of their deaths at the other hospitals.
So technically, she was present for the initial medical events that led to their transfers, but not present for the final deaths.

So there was only one death she wasn't connected to AT ALL and possibly because that baby died before it ever went onto her unit. She's even connected to the babies who died at other hospitals.

I think Baby O had their first deterioration in the hours before LL came on shift.

OP posts:
Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 21:53

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:08

For those wondering if there were lots of death when Lucy Letby wasn't on duty. I asked chatGPT and based on the Thirlwall enquiry it came up with this-

Evidence presented to the Thirlwall Inquiry indicated that:

  • 13 babies died on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
  • Letby was reportedly present for 10 of those 13 deaths.
  • She was on the preceding shift for 2 additional babies who later died.
  • She was not connected to 1 of the 13 deaths.
There were also 4 further deaths after babies had been transferred to other hospitals, and Letby was not present at those deaths.

was she on shift at the point of collapse for the babies that died elsewhere?

Yes—but with some important nuance. Based on inquiry reporting and media coverage:
There were 4 babies who later died after being transferred to other hospitals.
Lucy Letby was on shift at the time those babies initially collapsed or deteriorated on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit, before transfer.
She was not physically present at the time of their deaths at the other hospitals.
So technically, she was present for the initial medical events that led to their transfers, but not present for the final deaths.

So there was only one death she wasn't connected to AT ALL and possibly because that baby died before it ever went onto her unit. She's even connected to the babies who died at other hospitals.

Chat GPT is right about the first half there (on shift for 10 of 13 deaths). That's not surprising, given that these deaths were clustered mostly at times with multiple ICU babies on the ward, when Lucy Letby was called in. It's a case where correlation is not causation, as her manager repeatedly pointed out

ChatGPT appears to have hallucinated the other half of the information. Thirlwall hasn't given data on who was on duty before these four children were transferred, apart from baby K. Perhaps you could ask it a follow up question and request a source?

amateursleuth · 01/06/2026 21:53

Aluna · 01/06/2026 20:39

To go back to the original question: I cannot see how this case can be retried. There never was any evidence of intentional harm in any of the cases or anything to link the deaths of the babies to LL in particular.

If protocols within the CJS had been followed including multi-disciplinary panel to assess thoroughly each case, and the police investigation referred to the Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division in London as it should - the case would never have come to court.

There is literally nothing to try.

There never was any evidence of intentional harm in any of the cases or anything to link the deaths of the babies to LL in particular

The handover notes she kept, the internet searches for dates and family members, don't link her to those babies' deaths? They're not proof she killed the babies of course but they are an indication that LL at least felt a link. Is that all fine and normal? Do we think that should be ignored?

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:53

Piglet89 · 01/06/2026 07:54

Even to say I have “blind faith in her being innocent” is to misunderstand both the burden of proof and where it lies.

She didn’t have to prove her innocence. The prosecution had to prove she was guilty beyond reasonable doubt. And there is reasonable doubt in spades in this case.

A lot of people misunderstand things in this case like the amount of people who think "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"-as if a baby killer should have more of a chance to get off than someone accused of a low level crime. No she's held to the same standard as everyone else accused of a crime. She doesn't get special consideration because her crimes are the worst of the worst.

No one who knows she's guilty thinks there's reasonable doubt in spades. That's what her PR company have convinced you of. It's not reality.

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:49

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 07:53

@Firefly1987 and @Barbie222 I was convinced of her guilt, but having read more, I am now not sure what to think. I would be really interested for you to read the Private Eye reports and the New Yorker article and to hear your thoughts on both. The first link is an article by Unherd, and it's quite short. The New Yorker article is long but I find it an easier read than the Private Eye reports, which take some dedication.

https://archive.is/PJmKM

https://www.private-eye.co.uk/special-reports/lucy-letby

It seems that the two consultants, Jayaram and Brearey, may have put two and two together and made five. If this is what happened, I don't think it was done m

Edited

I read them ages ago, I mean I'll read them again but they won't convince me she's not guilty!

Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 21:48

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 01/06/2026 21:15

@OftenaddledWell yes, and they aren’t quick! That’s why anyone posting here thinks there’s compelling evidence - think again. Plus the review can only recommend, not actually ensure anythjng happens within the judicial system. So I think it’s better to wait for the outcome, however long it takes. Otherwise it’s just pure speculation.

There's no connection between how compelling the evidence for referral is and how long the CCRC takes (though I suppose a rejection could be quick if the evidence is truly rubbish and obviously so). The process is, simply, very slow. The amount of evidence, the number of points argued, the extent to which external experts would need to be consulted, would all influence the length of the process.

Some commentators do speak as if the CCRC will refer as soon as they find one compelling reason. That's incorrect. The CCRC needs to articulate the grounds on which it has referred for the Court of Appeal, and to be explicit about which it has accepted and which it has rejected.

Lucy Letby's case is of course 14 different cases, with numerous grounds for referral submitted. With only 16 part-time commissioners working on over 100 cases, and with the obvious need for referral to external experts, it's likely to take a long time. But that has nothing to do with how compelling the evidence is.

kkloo · 01/06/2026 21:16

Aluna · 01/06/2026 20:39

To go back to the original question: I cannot see how this case can be retried. There never was any evidence of intentional harm in any of the cases or anything to link the deaths of the babies to LL in particular.

If protocols within the CJS had been followed including multi-disciplinary panel to assess thoroughly each case, and the police investigation referred to the Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division in London as it should - the case would never have come to court.

There is literally nothing to try.

In regard to your point that it should have been referred to the special crime and counter terrorism division I remember when I looked it up it seemed unclear about whether that rule applied at the time, or if they had just brought it in now, presumably as a result of the LL case because it would seem like a huge coincidence if not.

But either way it's that branch of the CPS who would have to bring a retrial and we already know that they ruled out more charges even though the Chesire police thought they met the standard for evidence.

I genuinely can't see how they could bring a case.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 01/06/2026 21:15

@OftenaddledWell yes, and they aren’t quick! That’s why anyone posting here thinks there’s compelling evidence - think again. Plus the review can only recommend, not actually ensure anythjng happens within the judicial system. So I think it’s better to wait for the outcome, however long it takes. Otherwise it’s just pure speculation.

Firefly1987 · 01/06/2026 21:08

For those wondering if there were lots of death when Lucy Letby wasn't on duty. I asked chatGPT and based on the Thirlwall enquiry it came up with this-

Evidence presented to the Thirlwall Inquiry indicated that:

  • 13 babies died on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
  • Letby was reportedly present for 10 of those 13 deaths.
  • She was on the preceding shift for 2 additional babies who later died.
  • She was not connected to 1 of the 13 deaths.
There were also 4 further deaths after babies had been transferred to other hospitals, and Letby was not present at those deaths.

was she on shift at the point of collapse for the babies that died elsewhere?

Yes—but with some important nuance. Based on inquiry reporting and media coverage:
There were 4 babies who later died after being transferred to other hospitals.
Lucy Letby was on shift at the time those babies initially collapsed or deteriorated on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit, before transfer.
She was not physically present at the time of their deaths at the other hospitals.
So technically, she was present for the initial medical events that led to their transfers, but not present for the final deaths.

So there was only one death she wasn't connected to AT ALL and possibly because that baby died before it ever went onto her unit. She's even connected to the babies who died at other hospitals.

Aluna · 01/06/2026 20:39

To go back to the original question: I cannot see how this case can be retried. There never was any evidence of intentional harm in any of the cases or anything to link the deaths of the babies to LL in particular.

If protocols within the CJS had been followed including multi-disciplinary panel to assess thoroughly each case, and the police investigation referred to the Special Crime and Counter-Terrorism Division in London as it should - the case would never have come to court.

There is literally nothing to try.

Oftenaddled · 01/06/2026 20:10

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 01/06/2026 19:46

It doesn’t really matter what anyone on here thinks. Her case is being reviewed which might bring about a recommendation for a re trial. She’s been turned down for appeal twice, so don’t assume this will happen anytime soon.

Her case won't be referred any time soon because the CCRC has only sixteen part-time commissioners, working as little as one day a week, with a backlog of about 113 cases.

All of these cases (except in exceptional circumstances) will already have been refused an appeal - it's the CCRC's function to look at new evidence and argument, not to re-examine procedure like the appeal court.

So delay isn't a sign of weakness in a case - it's built into a system which guarantees your case less than a working day's attention a month.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 01/06/2026 19:46

It doesn’t really matter what anyone on here thinks. Her case is being reviewed which might bring about a recommendation for a re trial. She’s been turned down for appeal twice, so don’t assume this will happen anytime soon.

SnakesAndArrows · 01/06/2026 19:40

Firefly1987 · 31/05/2026 22:21

Don't know his name but the one they interviewed in the Panorama doc.

Prof. Keith Frayn told The Times that the results were "very clear" and unlikely to be explained by analytical error.

There's two for you.

Two is not “the vast majority” of endocrinologists. And Prof Frayn was speaking two years ago, and a good deal of new scientific information has emerged since then. Presumably you can name a few more?

NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 18:21

IonianNerveGrip · 01/06/2026 17:05

As I said, I'm quite happy to respect your personal preferences, unexplained or otherwise, in such a minor semantic matter.

Don't encourage censorship. We have free speech and no one has the right to try and stop freedom of expression, provided it doesn't come under hate speech.

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NameChangeMay2026 · 01/06/2026 18:19

followtheswallow · 01/06/2026 16:50

‘Babykiller’ isn’t a word and can we not use it? There’s something horrible about it and it isn’t respectful at all.

Baby killer as two words is an adjectival phrase. It's fine. And that's exactly what LL is accused of being. In our society we have free speech, as long as it's not hate speech, which "baby killer" is not. I'm sick and tired of people attempting to police what others may or may not say. We've already had people trying to shut down this discussion and trying to shut down the discussion about the three women found dead at Brighton, and now another person comes along and tells us that we may not use an adjectival phrase.

I, for one, will not have my speech policed. If anyone thinks that anything said on MN is illegal, they can feel free to report it to the actual police. Otherwise, I will ignore any attempts to put a metaphorical hand over my mouth. 😡 I mean, who do people think they are, telling others what they may or may not discuss or what words they may or may not say? If "baby killer" is THAT offensive to you, don't read about Lucy Letby. Change your behaviour rather than attempting to curtail others' freedom of expression and control others' speech.

OP posts: