Lucy Letby, convicted of murdering seven babies at Countess of Chester Hospital, studied the case of killer nurse Beverley Allitt during her training at University of Chester, the Thirlwall Inquiry has heard
Lucy Letby earned the grim distinction of becoming Britain’s most prolific child serial killer in modern times following her conviction for murdering seven infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital in August 2023.
Given a whole-life tariff, Letby – who maintained her innocence throughout – will die behind bars. Yet a quarter of a century earlier, the nation was horrified by another healthcare worker, nicknamed the Angel of Death, after she slaughtered four youngsters under her supervision.
Beverley Allitt was barely out of her teens when she launched her chilling murder spree at a Lincolnshire medical facility in 1991. The killer, who was employed at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, was additionally convicted of inflicting serious injuries on six other children.
Her conviction came two years afterwards, resulting in 13 life terms with a minimum 30-year tariff. Allitt has subsequently been moved to Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire, reports the Mirror.
The Thirlwall Inquiry, examining whether lessons were learned from Letby’s crimes, has uncovered a troubling connection between these two women whose deadly acts were separated by two decades.
During her opening remarks to the Thirlwall Inquiry, Rachel Langdale KC made reference to the Clothier Inquiry, which followed Allitt’s atrocities. She said: “Nevertheless, and distressingly, 25 years later another nurse working in another hospital killed and harmed babies in her care.”
Ms Langdale revealed that the Thirwall Inquiry would feature testimony from a senior lecturer in child nursing at the University of Chester, where Letby earned her qualifications in 2011.
The lecturer will discuss how the Allitt case is incorporated into student training and education.
Barrister Sir Robert Francis KC was given the responsibility to scrutinise how the NHS responded to Allitt’s murderous spree, as well as the crimes committed by GP Harold Shipman.
Representing the families of six victims of Letby, Solicitor Tamlin Bolton stated: “He has been asked to look back at things like [Harold] Shipman, Beverley Allitt, the Mid-Staffs inquiry and consider the recommendations that followed.”
She continued: “What the recommendations were, how they were meant to be implemented, whether they were implemented, and how they have assisted or changed NHS practice.
“The families will hopefully be asked for submissions and what they would like to see recommended to prevent this happening in the future.”
Sir Robert led a five-year investigation into up to 1,200 deaths caused by inadequate care and severe staff shortages at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust in 2010. This resulted in the establishment of a “duty of candour” within the health service, which is still upheld today.
However, Ms Bolton emphasised that the relatives of Letby’s victims want Lady Thirlwall’s inquiry to act as a “strong reminder” of this duty.
She revealed: “A lot of the families I represent didn’t know their children had suffered collapses, they didn’t know the hospital had an increased death rate on that neonatal unit. They knew briefly there were investigations taking place but they didn’t really know why.”
Letby, 34, is currently serving 15 whole life sentences for the murder of vulnerable infants and attempted murder of seven others over a 12-month period from 2015 at the Countess of Chester Hospital where she worked as a neonatal nurse.
Ms Langdale said: “For ordinary, decent, right-thinking people, the actions of Letby will remain unfathomable. We will not be inviting speculation from witnesses about her motive or mindset.”
In Lady Justice Thirlwall’s opening remarks, the senior Court of Appeal judge stated: “At the heart of this inquiry are babies who died or were injured and their parents. I do not presume to describe the feelings or emotions that those parents have already experienced but I will remind you of what happened since the birth of their children.
“First, each parent celebrated the birth of each child, then when things seemed to be going well for those babies each one of them collapsed suddenly and unexpectedly. Some of the babies recovered, some survived but with life-long consequences, some died.
“For ordinary, decent, right-thinking people, the actions of Letby will remain unfathomable. We will not be inviting speculation from witnesses about her motive or mindset.’
In Lady Justice Thirlwall’s opening statement the senior Court of Appeal judge said: “Death and injury occurred in 2015 and 2016, the parents were told that natural causes were the reason for their deaths and life long difficulties, and so each parent grieved the loss of a new life and all that it promised and lived with that profound sorrow.”