Detectives who investigated the murders of babies, leading to the conviction of nurse Lucy Letby, have launched new probes into whether anyone should be charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Letby is serving 15 whole life orders in prison after being convicted of killing seven babies, and attempting to murder seven more, at the Countess of Chester Hospital nearly a decade ago.
In October 2023, police launched a separate investigation into corporate manslaughter by senior leadership at the hospital, but now say they are focusing on the “grossly negligent action or inaction of individuals”.
Anyone considered a suspect has been informed, Cheshire Constabulary says.
Gross negligence manslaughter is a separate offence from corporate manslaughter, the detectives stressed.
“It is important to note that this does not impact on the convictions of Lucy Letby for multiple offences of murder and attempted murder,” the force said.
Officers said they would not reveal how many people were now suspects or their identity because no arrests or charges have yet been made.
Letby, 35, from Hereford, has protested her innocence and her legal team is appealing against her conviction to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
The babies were attacked while she was working as a nurse on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.
As part of her appeal, a panel of experts has claimed Letby did not commit murder after its chair presented “significant new medical evidence”, suggesting the deaths and injuries were caused by natural causes or “bad medical care”.
The former chief executive of the hospital was worried about a wrongful conviction after Letby’s arrest, the Thirlwall public inquiry heard last month. Tony Chambers was said to have had the concerns after Letby’s initial detention by Cheshire Constabulary in July 2018.
In 2023, the doctor who first raised the alarm over Letby called for NHS managers to be held accountable for ignoring concerns that he raised in July 2015.
Lead paediatric consultant Stephen Brearey called for hospital managers to be regulated in the same way as doctors and nurses.
Police said on Thursday: “Both the corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter elements of the investigation are continuing and there are no set timescales for these.”
“Our investigation into the deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neo-natal units of both the Countess of Chester Hospital and the Liverpool Women’s Hospital between the period of 2012 to 2016 is also ongoing.
“Our priority is to maintain the integrity of our ongoing investigations and to support the many families who are at the heart of these.
“There is a significant public interest in the reporting of these matters; however, every story that is published, statement made or comment posted online that refers to the specific details of a live investigation can impede the course of justice and cause further distress to the families concerned.”
