Expert panel says medical proof behind Lucy Letby convictions is flawed
A group of 14 international specialists, convened by Canadian paediatric professor Shoo Lee, argued that the medical evidence used to convict Lucy Letby was unreliable, and Letby’s team has submitted the findings to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Canadian paediatric professor Shoo Lee, founder of the Canadian Neonatal Foundation, organized a London-based panel of 14 experts from Canada, the US, Japan, Sweden, Germany and the UK to scrutinise the medical testimony that underpinned Lucy Letby’s convictions. The specialists, including ten neonatologists and various paediatric specialists, argued that the alleged air embolisms were not supported by the clinical signs cited at trial and that many deaths could be explained by sepsis, pneumonia, or inadequate medical care.
They also highlighted systemic problems at the Countess of Chester Hospital, such as staffing shortages and poor teamwork. The panel’s conclusions were presented at a press conference attended by Conservative MP David Davis and have been submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for possible referral to the Court of Appeal. Letby continues to serve 15 whole-life orders for the murders of seven infants and attempts on seven more.
Why it matters
The challenge could overturn a high-profile murder conviction and raise questions about medical testimony in criminal trials.
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