Doctor who accused Letby of murder admits he’s ‘not certain’ any crimes were committed

A Doctor who originally accused Lucy Letby of murdering babies has called for a retrial as he is uncertain of her guilt.

Letby, 36, is currently serving 15 whole-life terms and has twice had appeals rejected after she was convicted in 2023 and 2024 of the murder of seven babies and eight attempted murders at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

In a scathing 822-page report published last week, Lady Justice Thirlwall said there had been a "complete failure to protect babies" at the Countess of Chester Hospital , where Letby, now 36, worked between 2015 and 2016.

Dr John Gibbs also fears no crime was actually committed, he told The Sun: “If it is the case that Lucy Letby is behind bars for crimes she had not committed, then that’s clearly appalling.”

Retired paediatrician Dr Gibbs says a retrial could be “the most appropriate thing for everyone”.

Dr Gibbs, one of three consultants whose evidence helped convict her, said: “If it wasn’t Letby, do I think someone else was harming them? No, I don’t.” He added: “I hold a very small concern there may not have been any deliberate harm done.”

Asked if he remains certain Letby killed the babies, Dr Gibbs said: “No.”

An inquiry, chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, was launched in 2023 in the wake of Letby's multiple convictions for murder and attempted murder of infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Publishing her final 822-page report last week, Thirlwall said: "There was a complete failure to protect babies on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

"This was because no-one seems to have understood that safeguarding action is required when a member of staff is suspected of causing deliberate harm and does not require colleagues to be sure of guilt.

"My report describes dysfunctional management and governance, a gulf between hospital leadership and clinicians, and failure to understand the fundamentals of safeguarding."

She continued: "There was complete failure at all levels to invoke safeguarding procedures at any point.

"Once there was suspicion that Letby may be causing harm deliberately safeguarding steps should have been taken. She should have been removed from the ward as a neutral act and matters could have been investigated without risk to babies."

The Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the publication of the report "must be a turning point for the NHS " and that "the safeguarding and wellbeing of babies must never again be treated as a side issue".