Sir David Davis believes a retrial could clear Lucy Letby of all charges
Hereford: So, there’s this big story about Lucy Letby, the nurse who’s been convicted of some really awful crimes. Sir David Davis, a former Conservative minister, is saying she deserves a retrial. He thinks it could actually clear her name.
He argues that there wasn’t any solid evidence against her. It seems the case was built on shaky ground, mostly based on coincidences and misunderstandings of statistics. He told MPs that if a retrial happens and she’s found innocent, she could be out in her 30s instead of spending decades behind bars.
Letby was sentenced to life for murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Her lawyers are now looking to challenge her convictions, claiming the main medical expert in her trial wasn’t reliable.
During a debate, Sir David pointed out that a lot of evidence was available during the trial but just wasn’t shown to the jury. He feels that’s a huge issue because it could mean the Court of Appeal might just dismiss any new evidence, saying it should have been presented back then.
He also mentioned that many experts, including statisticians and neonatal specialists, have come forward to say that the analysis used against Letby was flawed. They believe it misled the jury into thinking she was guilty.
Sir David compared her case to other famous wrongful convictions, like the Birmingham Six. He said that those who doubted their guilt faced a lot of backlash, just like people questioning Letby’s guilt are now.
Interestingly, there were factors in the deaths of the babies that weren’t shared with the jury, like a bacteria outbreak at the hospital. He also claimed that one expert changed his mind about how some of the babies died, although that expert denies it.
Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones responded by saying the government shouldn’t interfere with court decisions. She mentioned that Letby could apply to a commission if she believes her conviction was wrong.
Letby was found guilty of using various methods to harm the infants in her care, including injecting air and poisoning. She’s already tried to appeal her convictions twice but was unsuccessful.
