Hospital bosses say new evidence casts doubt on UK nurse Letby's baby murder convictions

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - A nationalist enquiry examining however British caregiver Lucy Letby was capable to execution babies successful her attraction should beryllium suspended due to the fact that caller grounds casts existent uncertainty connected her convictions, the lawyer for the hospital's elder managers said connected Tuesday.

Letby, 35, was recovered blameworthy of murdering 7 children and attempting to execution 8 much betwixt June 2015 and June 2016 portion moving successful the neonatal portion of the Countess of Chester Hospital (COCH) successful bluish England, making her Britain's astir prolific serial kid slayer of modern times.

But aesculapian experts person since publically challenged the grounds connected which she was convicted, casting uncertainty connected whether the babies were murdered.

Letby's lawyer has applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which examines imaginable miscarriages of justice, to person her convictions re-examined.

"There present appears to beryllium a existent likelihood that determination are alternate explanations for these deaths and unexplained collapses, namely mediocre objective absorption and attraction and earthy causes," Kate Blackwell, lawyer for the elder managers astatine the COCH, said successful written submissions to the inquiry, acceptable up to find however the killings went undetected.

She asked for the enquiry to beryllium paused until determination was clarity arsenic to Letby's engagement successful the deaths, arsenic determined by a due appeals process.

"If determination is grounds to bespeak that determination are alternate explanations, past it would beryllium incorrect for the enquiry to disregard it due to the fact that it is inconvenient."

On Monday, the enquiry seat Kathryn Thirlwall said astatine the commencement of closing submissions she would perceive arguments wherefore the enquiry should beryllium paused aft the managers, a elder lawmaker and Letby's ain lawyer asked for a suspension.

Amidst the doubts voiced astir Letby's guilt, constabulary are inactive investigating whether she murdered different babies, and person expanded their enquiry into imaginable firm manslaughter astatine the COCH, which is focused connected the hospital's elder leadership, to besides see gross negligence manslaughter by individuals.

Blackwell said elder managers accepted they had got things wrong, but hoped the grounds to the enquiry had shown their actions were made successful bully faith. The lawyer said the managers vociferously denied accusations they "deliberately and knowingly" protected a murderer.

She said if Thirlwall did not person the powerfulness to intermission the inquiry, she should inquire the wellness curate to bash so.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)