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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 11:43

kkloo · 05/05/2026 11:10

I don't think she was intentionally used as a scapegoat, just that people got an idea in their head and it grew arms and legs, I reckon at this point though some of them are realising they fucked up, although Gibbs is the only one who has expressed a bit of doubt publicly.

Some of the families are already suing the hospital, but that's obviously going to get a lot messier if LL gets out.

But Letby? If she’s innocent she should and could be due a huge compensation payout. Why pick her? Is it because she was dedicated and worked lots of overtime? Did she act strangely due to possible ND? I wish I’d been at her trial. Has she changed barrister yet?

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Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 11:46

nomas · 05/05/2026 11:26

The counter factual is if she did murder the poor babies and is set free, which would be absolutely devastating for their babies’ parents. Not saying that’s what will happen, just presenting the alternative.

Maybe it’s one we will never know what really happened.

It’s looking more and more likely there’s a cover up though. It’s not like eg Beverly Allitt where there was lots of evidence and little doubt. It just absolutely disgusts me if there’s been a miscarriage of justice and an innocent woman has been convicted. Yes of course I feel for the parents of the babies who died. Who wouldn’t?

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kkloo · 05/05/2026 11:48

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 11:43

But Letby? If she’s innocent she should and could be due a huge compensation payout. Why pick her? Is it because she was dedicated and worked lots of overtime? Did she act strangely due to possible ND? I wish I’d been at her trial. Has she changed barrister yet?

Emm I'm not sure about compensation for her if you mean from the NHS?

She has Mark McDonald representing her now for the CRCC, but if she gets a retrial she'll be allowed a KC.

CheeseNPickle3 · 05/05/2026 12:31

I'm not sure there's a graceful way for them to back out of it at this point. If one of the longest trials we've ever had turns out to be a miscarriage of justice and they've spent a ton of money on a public enquiry then it's quite hard to walk that back. International eyes are now also focused on the case from the expert panel so it's not just going to go away.

So many people are questioning either the strength of the evidence or the way it was presented to the jury that I think there has to be some reexamination of the case. Finding someone to point the finger at is also going to be a bit tricky.

I doubt there'll be any compensation.

Thirlwall still has no publication date and I expect the CCRC will be a while just due to the amount of evidence they have to go through.

FrippEnos · 05/05/2026 13:02

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 11:43

But Letby? If she’s innocent she should and could be due a huge compensation payout. Why pick her? Is it because she was dedicated and worked lots of overtime? Did she act strangely due to possible ND? I wish I’d been at her trial. Has she changed barrister yet?

LL put in grievences aganist the consultants and the consultants kicked off against the hospital management.

It was them that threatened to make this public unless the management went to the police.
The management called their bluff and went to the police and it all seems to have snowballed from there.

I (Like @kkloo) don't think that LL was.is a scapegoat but she is the victim of a series of unfotunate events and a really badly run investigation pushed forward by an "expert" that has a record for making the crime fit the "evidence".

But we will never actually know whether LL is iinocent or guilty due to the massive fuck ups in the case.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:09

FrippEnos · 05/05/2026 13:02

LL put in grievences aganist the consultants and the consultants kicked off against the hospital management.

It was them that threatened to make this public unless the management went to the police.
The management called their bluff and went to the police and it all seems to have snowballed from there.

I (Like @kkloo) don't think that LL was.is a scapegoat but she is the victim of a series of unfotunate events and a really badly run investigation pushed forward by an "expert" that has a record for making the crime fit the "evidence".

But we will never actually know whether LL is iinocent or guilty due to the massive fuck ups in the case.

See that’s the only reason I can think of revenge against consultants re grievances. Would they really be so petty and vindictive to accuse her of murder though? On such a scale?

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Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:10

kkloo · 05/05/2026 11:48

Emm I'm not sure about compensation for her if you mean from the NHS?

She has Mark McDonald representing her now for the CRCC, but if she gets a retrial she'll be allowed a KC.

Well compensation from somewhere. For being wrongly imprisoned. Or would they just let her out and find her own way in life. Who’d employ her now? She’ll always be looking over her shoulder.

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MissMoneyFairy · 05/05/2026 14:15

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:09

See that’s the only reason I can think of revenge against consultants re grievances. Would they really be so petty and vindictive to accuse her of murder though? On such a scale?

Yes, it's called covering your own arse, very common in the nhs.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 14:31

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:09

See that’s the only reason I can think of revenge against consultants re grievances. Would they really be so petty and vindictive to accuse her of murder though? On such a scale?

It depends I suppose on what Lucy Letby had seen on the unit. I have read that she was meticulous about Datix reports when things needed logging. To play devils advocate, I wonder if the handover notes were insurance if things did crop up later. In terms of nurse versus mostly male consultants and hospital management you'd need solid evidence of negligence / malpractice to whistleblow. The other way around, not so much it seems.

If you think about it, we have 7 consultants in total, with 3 being the ringleaders, and allegedly gossiping about their concerns. Nothing the other way round, and it is reported she was somewhat officially isolated from her peers.

However, we can only theorise. The argument could be made that she could have used this as some sort of defence, but the court system is a cut throat environment. Legal advice would be to keep things simple, as such "arrogance" from a young nurse would place her in an unfavourable light. She even had to concede there were insulin poisonings, although said she didn't do it.

Perhaps the consultants were genuine in their beliefs and concerns, perhaps things snowballed, perhaps they convinced themselves that they were being genuinely heroic. However, their subsequent steps into the limelight never sat well with me given the gravity of the case. And if they had enough genuine concerns after a third death, you'd think they'd move heaven and earth to protect further babies in their care, and hang the system.

Thing is, people under pressure can behave in extraordinary ways to protect themselves, even if previously squeaky clean, it just depends on the trigger.

None of the medical evidence really stands up, and the circumstantial is flimsy at best, even taken together.

It is one of the most complex, emotive and frightening cases overall in recent years. And the poor parents deserved so much better than the 3 ring circus certain "experts" engaged in. They must be going through hell. And if, as is looking more likely than not, Lucy Letby is innocent, this is a tragedy all round of unimaginable proportions.

kkloo · 05/05/2026 14:32

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:10

Well compensation from somewhere. For being wrongly imprisoned. Or would they just let her out and find her own way in life. Who’d employ her now? She’ll always be looking over her shoulder.

It's not that much, capped at £650k for sentences under 10 years, and £1.3 million for sentences over 10 years.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:44

kkloo · 05/05/2026 14:32

It's not that much, capped at £650k for sentences under 10 years, and £1.3 million for sentences over 10 years.

That’s not much is it? I guess it could go towards a new life abroad, if she sells her house. Maybe her parents would move with her. She is highly unlikely to be working in the medical profession though could get admin or shop work.

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MrsKeats · 05/05/2026 15:04

Figcherry · 02/05/2026 06:33

Imagine the Countess of Chester being your local hospital. It seems to get a constantly bad rep. Last year CQC rated it as requires overall improvement.

It’s my local hospital.
I was in the room when doctors saved my mum’s life.
You have no idea what you talking about.

IonianNerveGrip · 05/05/2026 15:07

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:44

That’s not much is it? I guess it could go towards a new life abroad, if she sells her house. Maybe her parents would move with her. She is highly unlikely to be working in the medical profession though could get admin or shop work.

That might be optimistic. People who've been wrongfully convicted and are innocent aren't necessarily fit for work when they eventually get out. Poor Andrew Malkinson had to apply for UC. I doubt Gerry Conlon would ever have been able to hold a job down.

If she gets out on the grounds of a MOJ but did do it, which I think it possible given the obvious issues with this case, I doubt she could do anything public facing. Too many loons. Definitely not going anywhere near any clinical work again though, I agree there. Not least because she got struck off.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 15:08

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:44

That’s not much is it? I guess it could go towards a new life abroad, if she sells her house. Maybe her parents would move with her. She is highly unlikely to be working in the medical profession though could get admin or shop work.

Her hpuse was sold in 2019 according to the internet, I don't know if she had to use that for legal bills.

I find it highly unlikely that she would be able to work at all for a long period, if ever. One cannot underestimate the psychological damage of an experience like this. Severe CPTSD would probably be a factor. It's not something one can shrug off especially given her notoriety. Her paranoia could be off the scale, especially as many believe her 100% guilty and deserving of the worst possible treatment, andgiven the rabid discourse I've see from some, nothing would convince them otherwise, and possibly not deter them.

Quitelikeit · 05/05/2026 15:13

@MistressoftheDarkSide

what do you mean that she had to concede on the subject of insulin poisoning?!

she was there with her own mouth in control of what came out!

likewise these Drs were complaining about her being present during deaths and collapses they did not just think she was a murderer! They just wanted her away from the ward - due to the coincidences

IonianNerveGrip · 05/05/2026 15:15

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 15:08

Her hpuse was sold in 2019 according to the internet, I don't know if she had to use that for legal bills.

I find it highly unlikely that she would be able to work at all for a long period, if ever. One cannot underestimate the psychological damage of an experience like this. Severe CPTSD would probably be a factor. It's not something one can shrug off especially given her notoriety. Her paranoia could be off the scale, especially as many believe her 100% guilty and deserving of the worst possible treatment, andgiven the rabid discourse I've see from some, nothing would convince them otherwise, and possibly not deter them.

Given all that, I doubt anyone would be willing to employ her if they knew who she was. If nothing else, the possibility of vigilantes turning up would put me off.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 15:28

Quitelikeit · 05/05/2026 15:13

@MistressoftheDarkSide

what do you mean that she had to concede on the subject of insulin poisoning?!

she was there with her own mouth in control of what came out!

likewise these Drs were complaining about her being present during deaths and collapses they did not just think she was a murderer! They just wanted her away from the ward - due to the coincidences

Have you ever been in a police interview under arrest and going by your solicitors advice? I can guarantee she was advised to agree with what was presented as fact but maintain her innocence.

Your other assertions imply a lack of knowledge of the case.

FrippEnos · 05/05/2026 15:43

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 14:09

See that’s the only reason I can think of revenge against consultants re grievances. Would they really be so petty and vindictive to accuse her of murder though? On such a scale?

As far as I can remember the consultants never accused her of murder, that was Evans and his theories.
I can believe that the consultants got caught up in this due to some of their testimonies and what they have claimed.

Remember the drawer of evidence that one of them sat on for a year, and the senior consultant (I think) that claimed that their relationship was all from her side.

All very strange and arse covering.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 15:50

FrippEnos · 05/05/2026 15:43

As far as I can remember the consultants never accused her of murder, that was Evans and his theories.
I can believe that the consultants got caught up in this due to some of their testimonies and what they have claimed.

Remember the drawer of evidence that one of them sat on for a year, and the senior consultant (I think) that claimed that their relationship was all from her side.

All very strange and arse covering.

Ah yes that’s right.

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Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 15:52

MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 15:28

Have you ever been in a police interview under arrest and going by your solicitors advice? I can guarantee she was advised to agree with what was presented as fact but maintain her innocence.

Your other assertions imply a lack of knowledge of the case.

As far as I also recall anyone who could’ve given evidence in her defence were scared off because of the fact they’d probably lose their jobs.

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Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 15:53

FrippEnos · 05/05/2026 15:43

As far as I can remember the consultants never accused her of murder, that was Evans and his theories.
I can believe that the consultants got caught up in this due to some of their testimonies and what they have claimed.

Remember the drawer of evidence that one of them sat on for a year, and the senior consultant (I think) that claimed that their relationship was all from her side.

All very strange and arse covering.

Typical NHS really. It’s not the first time I’ve heard of them covering their backs either. Basically very rare to win a case against them.

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Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 05/05/2026 15:55

IonianNerveGrip · 05/05/2026 15:15

Given all that, I doubt anyone would be willing to employ her if they knew who she was. If nothing else, the possibility of vigilantes turning up would put me off.

I think only place likely where she’d not be found and may work would be somewhere like NZ.

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MistressoftheDarkSide · 05/05/2026 15:55

I think while a formal accusation in those words may not be recorded, fighting to get her off the ward because babies had died kind of amounts to the same thing. They obviously suspected her strongly, or claimed to. Dewi Evans just freestyled in the blanks for them, having decided it was "just his kind of case", rocked up at the police station, and surmised deliberate harm from reading one set of notes, in ten minutes, coffee in hand....

Quitelikeit · 05/05/2026 16:20

@MistressoftheDarkSide what do you think they should have genuinely done?

It is well documented that they did not initially think she was a murder? They followed protocol surely by going to the managers - honestly what else could they have done?

MissMoneyFairy · 05/05/2026 17:11

Quitelikeit · 05/05/2026 16:20

@MistressoftheDarkSide what do you think they should have genuinely done?

It is well documented that they did not initially think she was a murder? They followed protocol surely by going to the managers - honestly what else could they have done?

Reviewed the notes, taken responsibility for their own mistakes, held case conferences, asked for second opinions, not lie and make up,stories.

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