Inquiry Hears Letby Concerns Were Deemed a Police Matter

A public inquiry was informed that a detective understood the situation to be “very much a matter for his officers” upon learning of a single nurse’s presence during a series of infant collapses at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The chair of an independent panel investigating child fatalities stated that she was first apprised of concerns regarding Lucy Letby during an April 2017 meeting. This meeting included medical director Ian Harvey and was also attended by Det Supt Nigel Wenham of Cheshire Police. Hayley Frame, representing the Child Death Overview Panel, testified that she and the detective concluded that “there was something very worrying” and that the issue constituted a police matter. The Thirlwall Inquiry is currently investigating the events related to the crimes committed by serial killer Letby. Letby, who is currently serving 15 whole life jail terms, was reassigned from the neonatal unit in June 2016 after consultants expressed concerns about her. During the meeting, which occurred ten months subsequent to Letby’s reassignment, Ms Frame informed the inquiry that Mr Harvey’s initial demeanor was “very much reassuring.” He stated that several independent reviews into unexplained deaths had “not brought out anything untoward.” Nevertheless, she recounted: “And then it shifted when it was stated they had looked at staff rotas and there was one member of staff who was on shift during each collapse.” She added, “Then of course you are thinking, ‘what are we being told here? This is gravely concerning’.” Nicholas de la Poer KC, who serves as counsel to the inquiry, inquired about the consensus reached between Ms Frame and Det Supt Wenham at the conclusion of the meeting. She responded: “Nigel spoke about how this was very much a matter for his officers and that they needed to secure case files.” She further stated, “I think he had another meeting some time after that and that was the start of the investigation.” Ms Frame concluded, “But I was clear coming out of that meeting that there was something very worrying and Nigel had the same view and the fact that this was the first time that we knew this.” The subsequent week, the hospital formally requested Cheshire Police to conduct an investigation into the matter. Ms Frame asserted that the Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), law enforcement, and the local authority ought to have been notified of the consultants’ apprehensions at the time they initially surfaced. She stated: “Those concerns could have been reported to the police and local authority by anyone working within the hospital.” Letby, aged 34 and originally from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders. This follows her conviction at Manchester Crown Court for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of seven others, including two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. The inquiry, which is convening at Liverpool Town Hall, is anticipated to proceed until early 2025, with its conclusions slated for publication by late autumn of that year. Further reporting was provided by the Press Association. Listeners can access content from BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. This article is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information on its approach to external linking.