Conclusion. She will be sentenced here on monday at Manchester Crown court. She is now the most prolific killer of children in modern times. Shejudith morris sent this report. She thought shed get away with it, but this was the moment the game was up. Lucy, is it . Do you mind if i step in for a few seconds . Yes. Behind the door of this ordinary suburban house, britains most prolific baby killer was arrested three years after her murder spree began. Just sit there for me, lucy. Ive just had knee surgery. She worked here, on the Neonatal Unit at the countess of Chester Hospital. Her role, to care for the most vulnerable infants, but that couldnt have been further from her mind. The crying, ive never heard anything like it since. It was screaming. It was screaming, and i was like, what is the matter with them . Legally, we cant identify the families in this case, but their stories are distressing. These are the parents of twin boys born prematurely in 2015. Their mum was taking milk to them when she heard one of her sons crying loudly. He had blood round his mouth, and lucy was there, but faffing about and not really doing anything. Lucy said, dont worry, the registrar was coming. She told me to go back to the ward. The babys mum left him in this Intensive Care area and went to call her husband. They thought their son was in safe hands with nurse letby, but a short time later they were told he was dangerously ill, and they rushed back to find doctors trying to save him. We were taken in, and we were told to talk to him and hold his hand, and then. We had a conversation with the consultant, and they said they were going to stop, because it is not helping, and we want him to die in your arms. On the unit, there were typically up to three deaths a year, a on the unit, there were typically up to three deaths a year, but in 2015 they had that number in the month ofjune alone, and the pattern continued, with babies dying or coming close to death. The common factor lucy letby. This Staffing Sheet shows she was the only employee who was present every time there was a suspicious event. Dr Stephen Brearey led the team of seven consultants on the unit who shared joint concerns about letby. Hes now speaking publicly about their experience for the first time. Its something that nobody really wants to consider, you know, that a member of staff might be harming the babies under your care. Things came to a head when two out of three healthy triplets died within 2a hours of each other injune 2016. Afterwards a meeting was held for staff. Lucy letby was there. She was sitting next to me. I spoke to her and said how tired and upset she must be after two days of this, and hoped that she was going to have a restful weekend, and she turned to me and said, no, im back on shift tomorrow. The other staff were very traumatised by all of this. They were crumbling before your eyes almost, and she was quite happy and confident to come into work. Lucy letby was eventually moved to a clerical role. The doctors kept trying to get managers to investigate the suspicious deaths and her connection to them. But we can now reveal that even though consultants here repeatedly made loud warnings to senior management, they say they were ignored and ultimately told that if they didnt stop raising questions about the nurse, there would be consequences. And the doctors say that even after lucy letby came off duty on the Neonatal Unit, executives tried to draw a line under the case, and it was only a year after she stopped working as a nurse that the Police Became involved. After her arrest, officers found all sorts of items in her bedroom. Babies� medical records, her diary, and notes covered in letby� s scrawl, with phrases including i am evil. I did this. She is a killer, and using her words, she is evil. You have spent time interviewing her, and watching her in court as well, giving evidence. What did you make of her . I think she is very emotionless. She doesnt respond to a typical Human Response that i would have expected. There was no empathy or sympathy with what has gone on at all. There are people who look at her and say, there is no way she can have done this. It is circumstantial evidence, she looks as though butter wouldnt melt. It is an example to us all of not judging a book by its cover. We have got to accept and understand the evidence in this case has been, i believe, significant, and it has taken us to understand that lucy letby is a killer. The nurse wrote this Sympathy Card to the parents of one baby, and searched for many of the other families on facebook. Letby� s own parents supported her throughout the trial, and the court heard about her happy childhood. We may never know why she became a killer. I want her to be locked up and i never want her to come out again. Because what she has done has changed the course of our life forever. Lucy letby had many faces. Party girl, graduate, bright young nurse. But each face was a mask for evil hiding in plain sight, and at last her cover has slipped. Lucy letby will now be known as one of britains most notorious criminals. Judith moritz, bbc news, manchester. Lucy letby was convicted of all the seven murders she was charged with, and there were a further six counts at the jury told the judge mr justice goss that they had deliberated over at great length but they were only unable to return a majority verdict. The cps will look at those remaining six counts and decide whether or not to bring a re tile against lucy letby on those remaining six counts. The conclusion of the trial here on the steps of Manchester Crown court, we heard from some of the key people who had been involved in the investigation and the trial itself. A short while ago, detective chief inspector nicola evans of Cheshire Police gave her reaction to the verdict. This has been a long and emotional journey for all of the families involved in this case. I speak on behalf of the entire Prosecution Team when i say that all of their babies will forever be in our hearts. I would like to thank all of the families in this case for their exceptional resilience and strength throughout this entire investigation. Their composure and their dignity during this trial has been truly overwhelming. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this case started in may 2017. Since that time, hundreds of witnesses have been spoken to by a team of dedicated detectives. Many of those witnesses have returned to court on numerous occasions to give evidence. Without their honesty and their support, the families would not have received the justice that they have received today. I cannot begin to imagine how the families in this case feel today. I just hope that todays verdicts bring all of them some Peace Of Mind for the future, and that we have answered some of the questions that they were looking for. Cheshire constabulary will continue to support all of the families in this case in the coming days and weeks ahead. There will be a period of reflection of everybody comes this has been to terms with what they have experienced here today. That was Detective Police inspector nicola evans today. Lets hear now from pascalejones, a senior prosecutor from the Crown Prosecution Service. Lucy letby was entrusted to protect some of the most vulnerable babies. Little did those working alongside her know that there was a murderer in their midst. She did her utmost to conceal her crimes by varying the ways in which she repeatedly harmed babies in her care. She sought to deceive her colleagues and pass off the harm she caused as nothing more than a worsening of each babys existing vulnerability. In her hands, innocuous substances like air, milk or medication like insulin would become lethal. She perverted her learning and weaponised her craft to inflict harm, grief and death. Time and again, she harmed babies in an environment which should have been safe for them and their families. Parents were exposed to her Morbid Curiosity and her fake compassion. Too many of them returned home to empty baby rooms. Many surviving children live with permanent consequences of her assault upon their lives. Her attacks were a complete betrayal of the trust placed in her. My thoughts are with the families of the victims who may never have closure, but who now have answers to questions which had troubled them for years. That was the senior prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service. We had finally a statement on behalf of the families. Throughout this trial of course those babies have been named in court, some of the families had been giving evidence in court, but we are protecting the identities of their families, the surviving siblings have been protected, so the way that we had the families� reaction to all of this was from the family Liaison Officer who spoke highly on the steps of Manchester Crown court, that is janet moore. I have been asked to read out a statement on behalf of all the families in this case. Words cannot effectively. Explain how we are feeling at this moment in time. We are quite simply stunned. To lose a baby is a heartbreakingj experience that no parent should ever have to go through. But to lose a baby or to have a baby harmed in these particular circumstances is unimaginable. Over the past seven to eight years, we have had to go through a long, i tortuous and emotional journey. From losing our precious newborns and grieving their loss, seeing our children who survived, | some of whom are still sufferingl itoday, to being told years later. That their death or collapse might be suspicious, nothing can prepare you for that news. Todayjustice has been served, and a nurse who should have been caring for our babies has been found guilty of harming them. But this justice will not take away from the extreme hurt, anger and distress we have all had to experience. Some families did not receive i the verdict that they expected, and therefore it is a bittersweet result we are heartbroken, devastated, angry and feel numb. We may never truly know why this happened. Words cannot express our gratitude to the jury who have had to sit through 145 days of gruelling evidence which has led to todays verdict. We recognise that this has not been an easy task for them, and we will forever be gratefull for their patience and resilience throughout this incredibly difficult process. The Police Investigation began in 2017, and we have been supported from the very beginning by a team of experienced and dedicated family Liaison Officers. We want to thank these officers for everything i they have done for us. Medical experts, consultants, j doctors and Nursing Staff have all given evidence at court which at times has been extremely harrowing and distressing for us to listen to. However, we recognise the determination and commitment that each witness has shown in ensuring that the truth was told. We acknowledge that the evidencel given by each of them has been key in securing todays verdict. Finally, we would like to acknowledge and thankl the Investigation Team and more recently the Prosecution Team i who have led the trial to a successful conclusion. The Search For The Truth has remained at the forefront. Of everyones minds, and we will forever. Be grateful for this. We would now ask for time i in peace to process what has happened as we come to terms with todays verdict. I i would now also like to read outl a statement on behalf of the team of family Liaison Officers who have worked as part of operation hummingbird. On behalf of our team of dedicated family Liaison Officers, i would like to thank all of the families for the immense fortitude and extreme resilience that they have shown over the years. They have acted with dignity and reservedness during a very long trial, whilst hearing the most horrendous evidence. We are all extremely humbled by them. I hope that the support that we have i provided to all of the families has. Been of some comfort to them during an incredibly difficult period. We have worked closely alongside his majestys Court Service to ensure that the families have been able to watch Court Proceedings in manchester as well as remotely over the past ten months. This has assisted them greatly in being able to view the trial with more ease. We would like to thank court staff for their help with this. Whilst todays verdict will by no means relieve the suffering the families have gone through and are still going through, we hope it will bring| them some comfort. Our thoughts remain with you. Thank you. That is janet moore, the family Liaison Officer who has worked with so many of this families following this lengthy process after the deaths of their children and throughout what has been a long trial here at Manchester Crown court, nine months between the Opening Statements being made and thejudge sending the Opening Statements being made and the judge sending the jury out to consider their verdict. You also heard janet moore they� re talking about the real anger and the quest for answers that so many of those families are understandably feeling now. Just in the last few hours, the government has announced an independent inquiry into the murders and attempted murders at the countess of Chester Hospital following lucy letby� s conviction. The Department Of Health says that that inquiry will investigate the wider circumstances around what happened at the hospital, and it will include any handling of concerns. Governance will be looked at as well. It will also look at what actions were taken by regulators and by the wider nhs. The government says the inquiry will be launched to ensure vital lessons are learned and to provide answers to the parents and families impacted. Health secretary Steve Barclay says i am determined the families� voices are heard, and they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry should they wish to do so. Following on from the work already under way by nhs england, it will help us identify where and how Patient Safety standards failed to be met. That is something that the families even at the conclusion of this trial were calling for, some sort of answers into how this could have happened for so long, because lucy letby� s crimes that were dealt with in this trial over a period of 12 months, from 2015 to 2016, but in fact lucy letby was arrested three times in total before she was finally charged with those 22 counts of murder and attempted murder, and at the conclusion of the trial in the last few hours there have been some new pictures that have been released by Cheshire Police, who were the investigating force. They talked about the thousands, tens of thousands, of pages of evidence that were put together. At one point they said there were 70 police and civilian workers working on this as part of operation hummingbird, and they said they filmed around a0 hours of interviews with lucy letby, and released a small portion. Just a brief clip there of lucy letby, one of many hours of police interviews. But talking there about the fact that the rise in Infant Mortality had been noted by her contemporaries who she was talking about on the Nursing Staff. Joining me now is my colleague dan o� donoghue. You have been here throughout this trial listening to the evidence in person. You sort lucy letby in the Interview Room speaking very quietly. What kind of picture was painted of her by the prosecution in this case . Bi; painted of her by the prosecution in this case . � , painted of her by the prosecution in this case . J ,. , this case . By the prosecution, the icture this case . By the prosecution, the picture that this case . By the prosecution, the picture that was this case . By the prosecution, the picture that was presented this case . By the prosecution, the picture that was presented of this case . By the prosecution, the picture that was presented of herl picture that was presented of her was that she was calculating, she was that she was calculating, she was devious, she was an opportunist and she was someone who used her normality, i think one of the Police Officers when asked to describe lucy letby in a word, he described her as beige. She used this cloak of normality to conduct horrific crimes. The picture painted by the defence was that she was a dedicated, professional nurse, and one of her colleagues, doctor stephen browett, called her nice lucy when it was first noticed that she was a Connective Influence between the cases. So that shows that even people in power who eventually did blow the whistle did not comprehend that miss letby was capable of the apps that she was. And the evidence that unfolded over those nine months was of a woman who enjoyed time with her friends, they saw her social media post, some of her messages, going on holidays and nights out, but then in the workplace was murdering babies in her care. She workplace was murdering babies in her care. ,. ,. ,. , workplace was murdering babies in her care. ,. , ~ i. , her care. She was. When you look at some of the her care. She was. When you look at some of the messages her care. She was. When you look at some of the messages and her care. She was. When you look at some of the messages and her her care. She was. When you look at l some of the messages and her actions now through the lens of what we know she was doing, when she murdered two Triplet Brothers On Two successive daysin Triplet Brothers On Two successive days in 2016, this was described as a Tipping Point for those on the unit, and in the days before that, she had been on holiday in ibiza with friends, and the night before she was due to return to the unit, she was due to return to the unit, she had texted colleagues saying the next day she would be back with a bang, and that is extremely chilling knowing now what happened in the days that followed. Bud knowing now what happened in the days that followed. Knowing now what happened in the days that followed. And the methods that she used days that followed. And the methods that she used were days that followed. And the methods that she used were in days that followed. And the methods that she used were in many days that followed. And the methods that she used were in many ways that she used were in many ways innocuous. It is interesting to hear the Crown Prosecution Service use the Crown Prosecution Service use the expression that she weapon eyes to her craft, because she used milk, fluids, insulin, even airto to her craft, because she used milk, fluids, insulin, even air to murder or attempt to murder these babies. Yes, and i think it was the fact that she changed her methods and that she changed her methods and that was the fact that really confounded the doctors and nurses. They couldn� t understand what they were seeing, and it is important to keep reminding people that these were premature, tiny babies. The cases are one of the children, baby g, this little girl was force fed milk, and again this child was tiny and the expert said it was astonishing that this child Projectile Vomited milk, and this is one of the smallest babies you can imagine vomiting on that unit, and these things were confounding the medical experts that work there at that time. This was all part of her method, mixing those up to keep people unclear on exactly what she was doing. We will talk to our Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes injust a moment about how procedures in hospital have all made changes to reflect that, but in the end it was the medical evidence, that was so crucial in this trial where they found things like rashes or discolouration on babies� skin, looking for those things that were unusual, but eventually pulled this into a pattern of murders. Yes. Unusual, but eventually pulled this into a pattern of murders. Yes, and it is also important into a pattern of murders. Yes, and it is also important to into a pattern of murders. Yes, and it is also important to point into a pattern of murders. Yes, and it is also important to point out it is also important to point out during this trial the consultants who had been so key in this case and bring it to the police, they had raised concerns on multiple times, she was always on shift when the suspicious events were happening, she was the common factor, the doctors were observing things they had never observed before. It was important to note that these concerns were reported repeatedly to hospital management, and we can now say that thejury hospital management, and we can now say that the jury weren� t able to hear this but in 2016 there was an internal review carried out by the countess of chester� s internal Hr Department which cleared lucy letby of any wrongdoing and instructed the consultants to apologise to her in writing. We obviously have the statements today from them, and there are now calls to a Public Inquiry and confirmation of that, so we will get more answers and perhaps more solutions in the future as to how consultants another senior staff can report concerns in a hospital. Thank you, dan. My colleague, Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes, is at the countess of Chester Hospital. Before we talk about the statement that the Current Administration made today, we have also heard from some of the people who are in charge, in very senior positions, at the time that lucy letby was carrying out her crimes. What have they had to say in response to this . We crimes. What have they had to say in response to this . Response to this . We have had statements. Response to this . We have had statements, written response to this . We have had l statements, written statements, response to this . We have had. Statements, written statements, i should statements, written statements, i should say, from both the former chief should say, from both the former Chief Executive and the former Medical Chief Executive and the former Medical Director at the countess of chester Medical Director at the countess of chester who have both said how profoundly sorry they were for what occurred. Profoundly sorry they were for what occurred, and they have both said that their occurred, and they have both said that their thoughts are with the families that their thoughts are with the families of those babies who were murdered. Families of those babies who were murdered, and who were so profoundly harmed murdered, and who were so profoundly harmed by murdered, and who were so profoundly harmed by lucy letby, and they both said independently that they would cooperate with the inquiry that is going cooperate with the inquiry that is going to cooperate with the inquiry that is going to take place. But they didnt io going to take place. But they didnt go beyond going to take place. But they didnt go beyond that, so they both said that they go beyond that, so they both said that they would be cooperating with the inquiry. But you have to say that they the inquiry. But you have to say that they both i think have tough questions to answer, because these are people questions to answer, because these are people to whom the consultants in the are people to whom the consultants in the unit are people to whom the consultants in the unit raised concerns, and they in the unit raised concerns, and they were in the unit raised concerns, and they were rebuffed. They were not listened they were rebuffed. They were not listened to. They raised legitimate concerns listened to. They raised legitimate concerns about lucy letbys behaviour, about what was going on in the behaviour, about what was going on in the unit, behaviour, about what was going on in the unit, and they simply were not listened to. find in the unit, and they simply were not listened to. Not listened to. And you will also listen, dominic, not listened to. And you will also listen, dominic, to not listened to. And you will also listen, dominic, to that not listened to. And you will also | listen, dominic, to that statement that was made today. What have the Hospital Trust had to say about this one . We Hospital Trust had to say about this one . ~. ,. ,. , one . We heard from dr nigel scawn, who is the medical one . We heard from dr nigel scawn, who is the Medical Director one . We heard from dr nigel scawn, who is the Medical Director here one . We heard from dr nigel scawn, who is the Medical Director here at i who is the Medical Director here at the countess of chester. He is the medicat the countess of chester. He is the Medical Director now. He wasnt medicat Medical Director now. He wasnt Medical Director when this all occurred Medical Director when this all occurred in 2015, 2016. That Medical Director occurred in 2015, 2016. That Medical Director then left the trust i think in 2018. Director then left the trust i think in 2018. So director then left the trust i think in 2018, so dr nigel scawn is a completely fresh pair of hands, if you like completely fresh pair of hands, if you like. But he did issue a statement saying the trust was extremely sorry for what had happened. He says there has been a profound happened. He says there has been a profound impact here on the community, on staff and on patients. He said community, on staff and on patients. He said the community, on staff and on patients. He said the staff were devastated by what had he said the staff were devastated by what had happened, and he said lessons what had happened, and he said lessons continue to be learned. Basicatty lessons continue to be learned. Basically and the families involved, and he basically and the families involved, and he did basically and the families involved, and he did lucy letby worked here, we have and he did lucy letby worked here, we have made significant changes and we have made significant changes and we want we have made significant changes and we want to we have made significant changes and we want to make sure that changes have been we want to make sure that changes have been followed through. He said our thoughts are with families and loved our thoughts are with families and loved ones our thoughts are with families and loved ones at this time. But i think there loved ones at this time. But i think there is loved ones at this time. But i think there is no loved ones at this time. But i think there is no getting away from the fact that there is no getting away from the fact that the management at the hospital. Fact that the management at the hospital, even though it is a very different hospital, even though it is a very different Executive Team now, there are still different Executive Team now, there are still very difficult and hard questions that need to be asked about questions that need to be asked about the treatment, particularly of those about the treatment, particularly of those Consultant Paediatricians who tried to those Consultant Paediatricians who tried to raise concerns at the time when tried to raise concerns at the time when they tried to raise concerns at the time when they were worried about what was going when they were worried about what was going on in the unit, and they were was going on in the unit, and they were looking at lucy letby. The fact that those were looking at lucy letby. The fact that those consultants had to write lucy lethy that those consultants had to write lucy letby a letter of apology because lucy letby a letter of apology because an Hr Investigation found that she because an Hr Investigation found that she had been harassed, it is simply that she had been harassed, it is Simplyjaw Dropping that they had to do that Simplyjaw Dropping that they had to do that. And they were threatened with being referred to the general Medicat With Being referred to the General Medical Council. This is absolutely textbook medical council. This is absolutely textbook stuff on how Poor Management Treats Whistle Blowers in the Nhs Management Treats Whistle Blowers in the nhs. And it isjustjaw dropping that this the nhs. And it isjustjaw dropping that this has happened once again. Dominic. That this has happened once again. Dominic, how does oversight work now . Because inevitably when there is a case like this, and it brings to mind people like beverly allott, the nurse who was convicted of murdering children in her care in the early 1990s, people like doctor harold shipman. Patients, families will be feeling a sense of nervousness about oversight. That is not to say that there aren� T Hundreds Of Thousands of dedicated and caring and extremely professional medical staff working up professional medical staff working up and down the country, but people hear stories like this and it makes them nervous. Have processes on oversight changed as a result of this . ~ ~. ,. , oversight changed as a result of this . ~ ~. ,. , i. Oversight changed as a result of this . ~ ~. , this . Well, we know, as you say it is extremely this . Well, we know, as you say it is extremely rare this . Well, we know, as you say it is extremely rare for this . Well, we know, as you say it is extremely rare for medical is extremely rare for medical professionals to carry out anything like this professionals to carry out anything like this It Professionals to carry out anything like this. It is very, very rare, and like this. It is very, very rare, and the like this. It is very, very rare, and the fact like this. It is very, very rare, and the fact that we remember those cases and the fact that we remember those cases of and the fact that we remember those cases of Beverley Allitt and harold shipman. Cases of Beverley Allitt and harold shipman, after those cases changes were put shipman, after those cases changes were put in shipman, after those cases changes were put in place. For example, the reservations were put in place. For example, the reservations around the general medical reservations around the General Medical Council were tightened up, deaths medical council were tightened up, deaths being referred to coroners after deaths being referred to coroners after harold shipman, that was tightened up. But still we see that lucy letby was able to carry out these lucy letby was able to carry out these awful murders and attempted murders these awful murders and attempted murders. What happened here was, this is murders. What happened here was, this is a murders. What happened here was, this is a unit murders. What happened here was, this is a unit that lost roughly, soften this is a unit that lost roughly, soften the this is a unit that lost roughly, soften the tragic loss of three bables soften the tragic loss of three babies a soften the tragic loss of three babies a year normally, and they lost three babies a year normally, and they lost three babies in a month. It is not like lost three babies in a month. It is not like that didnt ring alarm bells not like that didnt ring alarm bells it not like that didnt ring alarm bells. It very much did, and they had investigations into those deaths to try had investigations into those deaths to try and had investigations into those deaths to try and get to the bottom of what happened to try and get to the bottom of what happened. The Royal College of paediatrics and child health carried out an paediatrics and child health carried out an inquiry here to see what was going out an inquiry here to see what was going on out an inquiry here to see what was going on in out an inquiry here to see what was going on in the unit, to see if they can get going on in the unit, to see if they can get to going on in the unit, to see if they can get to the bottom of it. Now, those can get to the bottom of it. Now, those investigations did lead to the doctors those investigations did lead to the doctors and nurses look at who was working doctors and nurses look at who was working at doctors and nurses look at who was working at the time, that is one of the reasons working at the time, that is one of the reasons they started looking at lucy letby, because she was the only member lucy letby, because she was the only member of lucy letby, because she was the only member of staff who was on call, working member of staff who was on call, working at member of staff who was on call, working at the time of each of the incidents, working at the time of each of the incidents, so that was one of the key pieces incidents, so that was one of the key pieces of evidence. So that our systems key pieces of evidence. So that our systems in key pieces of evidence. So that our systems in place, but we have also heard systems in place, but we have also heard from systems in place, but we have also heard from experts today that there is not heard from experts today that there is not that heard from experts today that there is not that kind of really robust data is not that kind of really robust data available, so that when doctors have concerns, they can take them to management and say, look, this is not a management and say, look, this is not a blip. Management and say, look, this is not a blip, this is something out of the ordinary not a blip, this is something out of the ordinary that simply should not be happening, and we have to act on
vimarsana.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.