It will look at how she was able to carry out her crimes whilst working as a neonatal nurse at the countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016. It will also examine how Hospital Managers responded to doctors who raised concerns. Heres our north of england correspondentjudith moritz. Lets go live to liverpool Town Hall where the inquiry is taking place we can speak to my colleague nick garnett. Good morning to you. Just take us through this inquiry and what exactly the parameters are, what exactly will be looking at. It are, what exactly will be looking at. Looking at. It is going to answer looking at. It is going to answer one looking at. It is going to answer one simple looking at. It is going to answer one simple question, have answer one simple question, have the answer one simple question, have the questions of Lucy Letby have the questions of Lucy Letby been learned . The answers are going letby been learned . The answers are going to be long and very difficult are going to be long and very difficult for everyone involved to get difficult for everyone involved to get through and fort lessons to get through and fort lessons to be to get through and fort lessons to be learned through this inquiry to be learned through this inquiry itself. The inquiry, named inquiry itself. The inquiry, named after ladyjustice there well who named after ladyjustice there well who is a senior Court Of Appeal well who is a senior Court Of Appealjudge, has been set up and will appealjudge, has been set up and will sit until around december. In that time they are going december. In that time they are going to december. In that time they are going to hear from the parents of the going to hear from the parents of the children, the Newborn Children of the children, the Newborn Children that Lucy Letby murdered or tried to murder. They murdered or tried to murder. They will murdered or tried to murder. They will also hear from medical experts, from the staff at the medical experts, from the staff at the Hospital Trust that the countess of Chester Hospital, to see countess of Chester Hospital, to see what they learned and what to see what they learned and what they learned and whether or hot what they learned and whether or not anything could have been done or not anything could have been done to or not anything could have been done to stop this from happening. 0r done to stop this from happening. Or if not to stop it, happening. Or if not to stop it. To happening. Or if not to stop it, to have noticed things earlier it, to have noticed things earlier so that things would not have earlier so that things would not have gotten to the point that not have gotten to the point that they did. Lucy letby was convicted that they did. Lucy letby was convicted inJune 2015 that they did. Lucy letby was convicted in June 2015 of murdering seven young babies and attempting to murder another six. She has then been also another six. She has then been also convicted of another charge also convicted of another charge of Attempted Murder in June Charge of Attempted Murder in june of charge of Attempted Murder in june of that this year as well. She wiii june of that this year as well. She will spend the rest of her life in she will spend the rest of her life in prison. She is not eligible life in prison. She is not eligible for parole and she has been eligible for parole and she has been given a whole Life Tariff for each been given a whole Life Tariff for each and every one of the convictions that has been served convictions that has been served. Since then she has been tried served. Since then she has been tried to served. Since then she has been tried to appeal against those convictions, she lost that convictions, she lost that conviction when it went to the Court Conviction when it went to the court of conviction when it went to the Court Of Appeal. Shes got another Court Of Appeal. Shes got another appeal against the charge another appeal against the charge of Attempted Murder that is going charge of Attempted Murder that is going through the process at the moment. In the last few weeks. The moment. In the last few weeks, Lucy Letby has sacked her legat weeks, Lucy Letby has sacked her legal team and taken a new team her legal team and taken a new team on her legal team and taken a new team on board. They are looking at the team on board. They are looking at the evidence, because in the last few at the evidence, because in the last few weeks there has been a growing last few weeks there has been a growing number of sceptics who have growing number of sceptics who have raised concerns about the convictions and whether or not they convictions and whether or not they were convictions and whether or not they were safe. But the fact is that this they were safe. But the fact is that this was a child that went on for that this was a child that went on for nearly a year, for ten months on for nearly a year, for ten months a on for nearly a year, for ten months. Ajury on for nearly a year, for ten months. A jury deliberated and looked months. A jury deliberated and looked at months. A jury deliberated and looked at the evidence that was in front looked at the evidence that was in front of looked at the evidence that was in front of them for another month in front of them for another month before coming to their conclusions. And that was that lucy conclusions. And that was that Lucy Letby was guilty. So, no matter Lucy Letby was guilty. So, no matter what happened with that trial, matter what happened with that trial, that is not what is going trial, that is not what is going to trial, that is not what is going to be discussed here today going to be discussed here toda. W. today. Nick, can i ust interrupt today. Nick, can i ust interrupt you i today. Nick, can ijust interrupt you there. I today. Nick, can ijust i interrupt you there. You today. Nick, can ijust interrupt you there. You are outside the inquiry, lets go inside. Because thejustice has started speaking in that inquiry, lets take a listen. They learned that their babies may have been deliberately harmed, a nurse that have been looking after their babies in the hospital had been arrested. In november 2020, she was charged with murder and Attempted Murder. Nearly three years later, she was convicted of seven counts of murder and a seven of Attempted Murder. At seven of Attempted Murder. At seven or eight years after it does babies had been born. She was acquitted of two counts of attempted Murder And Thejury Attempted Murder and the jury could attempted Murder And Thejury could not agree about a further six counts of Attempted Murder. Some parents sat through the entire, lengthy criminal trial. It was against the background of that child that this inquiry was announced in september last year. After a very few weeks during which consultation took place, including with the parents and with me, the terms of reference were set by the then Secretary Of State. The inquiry bears my surname, so that the parents do not see repeatedly the name of the person who has been convicted of killing and maiming their children in every reference to the inquiry, in the hearing room, on the website, in the media. The verdicts did not bring immediate closure for the parents on the question of what happened to their babies, first there was an application for leave to appeal against the convictions which was refused, and then renewed. It was hard earlier this year over three days by full Court Of Appeal. The court dismissed the application. In the meantime, a retrial took place in respect of one count of Attempted Murder. 0ne of one count of Attempted Murder. One of those upon which thejury had not murder. One of those upon which the jury had not reached a verdict in the first trial. She was convicted. She has launched a further application for leave to appeal that conviction. 0n the day after that conviction, the day after that conviction, the Court Of Appeal released a Lengthyjudgment Dismissing her application. It runs to 58 pages. It explains in detail why the Court Of Appeal dismissed the application for leave to appeal. For the parents, that thejudgment parents, that the judgment marked parents, that thejudgment marked a watershed. They could now turn their attention to this inquiry, which is as important today as it was the day it was set up. The Inquiry Act 2005 requires me to act fairly and to avoid unnecessary cost, the terms of reference require me to conduct an inquiry as swiftly as possible. The aim of the Inquiry Team was to begin the hearings no later than september of 202a. And to complete them at latest in early 2025. We have worked to that end, as have the legal teams for all the core participants. As a result, we are now able to hear the three parts of the inquiry in their natural sequence, parts of the inquiry in their naturalsequence, eight, b, c. Afterthe naturalsequence, eight, b, c. After the hearings that will be for me to write the report, i cannot tell now precisely how long that will take. Much depends on the Nature And Volume of the evidence. I can say that i expect the report to be published by late autumn next year. I should add that the reason we are able to begin the reason we are able to begin the Hearings Today is because of the extraordinary Health And Assistance help and Assistance Help and assistance we have received from liverpool City Council and its staff. At short notice, they have made it possible for they have made it possible for the openings to be heard in this Council Chamber and a for the evidence to be heard in other parts of this historic building in due course. Like the Inquiry Team, they have put the Inquiry Team, they have put the parents at the heart of their planning, and i am very grateful to them. I mentioned a few moments ago that the decision of the Court Of Appeal it was a watershed, at last the parents had finality. 0r it was a watershed, at last the parents had finality. Or so it seemed. But it was not to be. In the months into the Court Of Appeal handed down its judgment, there has been a huge outpouring of comment from a variety of quarters on the validity of the convictions. So far as i am aware, it has come entirely from people who are not at the trial. Parts of the evidence have been selected and criticised, as has the conduct of the defence of trial about which those Defence Lawyers can say nothing. All of this noise has caused enormous additional distress to the parents who have already suffered far too much. I make it absolutely clear that it is not for me as chair of this public inquiry to set about reviewing the convictions. The Court Of Appeal has done that with a very clear result. The convictions stand. It is my responsibility to focus the inquiry on the questions asked inquiry on the questions asked in the terms of reference, and leading council will tell us how that is to be done in a few moments. The parents of the babies named on the indictment have waited for years for the answers to their questions, it is time to get on with this inquiry. Is time to get on with this inuui. is time to get on with this inuui.. Inquiry. And more children collapsed inquiry. And more children collapsed unexpectedly. Inquiry. And more children collapsed unexpectedly. Medical and nursing stands in grantham bewildered by this Event Group deeply bewildered by this Event Group deeply alarmed. Tests to try to determine the causes of collapses were carried out on Each Collapses were carried out on each of collapses were carried out on each of the children who survived. Most of these tests proved survived. Most of these tests proved negative. 0n the 12th Of April proved negative. 0n the 12th Of April 1991, proved negative. 0n the 12th Of April1991, however, a proved negative. 0n the 12th Of April 1991, however, a Blood Test april 1991, however, a Blood Test results showed that one of the children whose Blood Sugar had fallen dramatically and inexplicably on three occasions, had wrongly been injected occasions, had wrongly been injected with insulin. The possibility that this has happened accidentally was an illuminated and the suspicion grew illuminated and the suspicion grew that someone was deliberately harming children on word deliberately harming children on word for. On the 30th Of April on word for. On the 30th Of April 1991, the police were called april 1991, the police were called to investigate. As events called to investigate. As events were pieced together, a Picture Events were pieced together, a picture emerged of one person, Nurse Picture emerged of one person, nurse at picture emerged of one person, nurse at beverly, as the likely pulpit~ nurse at beverly, as the likely pulpit. She was first arrested and questioned in may 1991. She was brought to trial in may 1993, was brought to trial in may 1993, she was convicted of the murder 1993, she was convicted of the murder of 1993, she was convicted of the murder of four babies and children. Murder of four babies and children, three Attempted Murders and causing Grievous Bodily murders and causing grievous Bodily Harm against six others. She was Bodily Harm against six others. She was sentenced to Life Imprisonment on every count. Virginia imprisonment on every count. Virginia bottomley, now baroness, the Secretary Of State baroness, the Secretary Of State of baroness, the Secretary Of State of health for the time, in A State of health for the time, in A Statement to this inquiry she says. In A Statement to this inquiry she says. I in A Statement to this inquiry she says, i commissioned an independent inquiry to establish the facts behind this horrific establish the facts behind this horrific case in the most rigorous horrific case in the most rigorous and effective way possible. And to ensure that the nhs possible. And to ensure that the nhs learned any lessons that could to prevent similar events that could to prevent similar events in that could to prevent similar events in the future. She asked to Conduct Events in the future. She asked to conduct to inquiry. They had been to conduct to inquiry. They had been the to conduct to inquiry. They had been the Health Service Commissioner for england and wales commissioner for england and wales and scotland between 1974 and 1984. The baroness tells us she believed it could be trusted to provide a thorough, independent and timely report. He did independent and timely report. He did so. Nevertheless, and it distressingly, 25 years later another distressingly, 25 years later another Nurse Working in another another Nurse Working in another hospital killed and harm another hospital killed and harm to another hospital killed and harm to babies in her care. In August Harm to babies in her care. In august 2023, Lucy Letby was convicted of seven counts of murder convicted of seven counts of murder and a seven counts of Attempted Murder involving 13 babies Attempted Murder involving 13 babies in Attempted Murder involving 13 babies in total. This inquiry was babies in total. This inquiry was ordered by the then Secretary Of State in the light of this Secretary Of State in the light of this convictions. In july of this of this convictions. In july of this year. Of this convictions. In july of this year, Lucy Letby was convicted of a further count of Attempted Murder against another baby, Baby K in respect of which another baby, Baby K in respect of which the first jury could not agree. Lucy letby, qualified as a nurse in the University Of Chester in 2011, Voull University of chester in 2011, youll hear about her Training And Youll hear about her Training And Qualification in due Course And Qualification in due course. In A Statement to the inquiry, course. In A Statement to the inquiry, the Senior Lecturer on the child inquiry, the Senior Lecturer on the Child Nursing Programme at the Child Nursing Programme at the University Of Chester tells us that the University Of Chester tells us that the case of beverly formed us that the case of beverly formed part of Student Training and learning on the common foundation programme. Whether and if foundation programme. Whether and if so foundation programme. Whether and if so how corporate lessons were and if so how corporate lessons were learned from the inquiry is something this inquiry will explore is something this inquiry will explore. It is uncontroversial that explore. It is uncontroversial that a explore. It is uncontroversial that a hospitals neonatal unit should that a hospitals neonatal unit should be a place where babies are cared should be a place where babies are cared for by doctors and nurses, are cared for by doctors and nurses, where newborns are protected and nurtured. Instead, at the countess of chester instead, at the countess of chester between June 2015 and june 2016, the neonatal unit was june 2016, the neonatal unit was a june 2016, the neonatal unit was a place where babies were murdered was a place where babies were murdered and injured by someone entrusted murdered and injured by someone entrusted to care for them, a nurse entrusted to care for them, a Nurse Working on the unit. Lucy letbvs Nurse Working on the unit. Lucy letbys victims, the babies and their letbys victims, the babies and their families are protected from their families are protected from Public Identification by virtue from Public Identification by virtue of from Public Identification by virtue of orders made in the Crown Virtue of orders made in the Crown Court. They will be referred Crown Court. They will be referred to by initials rather than referred to by initials rather than names throughout this inguirv than names throughout this inquiry. Their suffering must not be inquiry. Their suffering must not be compounded by being identified to the public, there must identified to the public, there must be identified to the public, there must be no further intrusion into must be no further intrusion into their must be no further i