Lucy Letby’s lawyers have said they have “new evidence” that “significantly” undermines her convictions after a key medical witness changed his mind about three baby deaths. They urge the Court of Appeal to reopen the case. The Mail has more.
The 34-year-old is currently serving fifteen whole life terms after being found guilty of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven others while at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and 2016.
She was convicted in August 2023 and was refused permission to appeal against the convictions in May 2024.
Her barrister Mark McDonald was appointed after she was found guilty in two trials and he said today he would be giving details of “fresh developments” in the case.
This is because an expert witness, Dr. Dewi Evans, has “now changed his mind on the cause of death of three babies”, referred to as C, I and P, he said at a press conference. …
Speaking at a press conference today, her barrister said he will be asking the Court of Appeal to immediately review all of her convictions.
He said: “The primary grounds of appeal at the previous hearings related to the admissibility before the jury of the evidence of the lead prosecution expert Dr. Dewi Evans,” he said.
“The defence argued twice at trial that Dr Evans’s evidence should be disregarded.
“This was refused by the trial judge.
“It was then later argued in the Court of Appeal, and was refused in the Court of Appeal.
“Remarkably, Dr. Evans has now changed his mind on the cause of death of three of the babies: Baby C, Baby I and Baby P.”
Mr. McDonald continued: “Dr Evans had said to the jury that Lucy Letby had injected air down a nasal gastric tube and this had led to the death of the three babies.
“This was repeated to the Court of Appeal, which may have been misled when it ruled on the application for leave against the convictions.
“Dr. Evans has also said that he has revised his opinion in relation to Baby C and has written a new report, a new report that he has given to the police, months ago now.
“Despite numerous requests, the prosecution has yet to give this report to the defence.
“The defence will argue that Dr. Evans is not a reliable expert, and given that he was the lead expert for the prosecution, we say that all the convictions are not safe.”
He spoke alongside Dr. Richard Taylor, a neonatologist from Victoria, British Columbia, Dr. Roger Norwich, a consultant paediatrician, and Peter Elston, who is a statistician. …
The defence team has reports from two neonatologists that it claims count as fresh evidence in the cases in relation to Baby C and Baby O.
Mr. McDonald read a statement from Dr. Neil Aiton and Dr. Silvena Dimitrova that said: “Our reports demonstrate that there are identifiable medical reasons why both babies became unwell, sadly did not respond to resuscitation and subsequently passed away.
“We have set out clearly within our reports evidence showing that these babies could not reasonably be described as ‘well’ or ‘stable’. Neither should their deteriorations be described as ‘unexplained’.
“Our reports contain carefully justified new evidence which has not been presented before – either in court or as part of previous examinations of these cases by multiple sources. …
“We have provided evidence that Baby O died due to issues related to the resuscitation. Baby C died due to problems caused by failing placental function at the end of the pregnancy.
“We have seen no evidence of deliberate harm to these babies by anyone.”
Mr McDonald added he also has reports from two neonatologists that he claims count as fresh evidence in the cases of Baby C and Baby O, with no evidence of deliberate harm.
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