LONDON: British nurse Lucy Letby, aged 33, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release after being convicted of the murder of seven newborn babies and the attempted murder of six others while under her care. This makes Letby the most prolific child serial killer in modern UK history.
The nurse’s crimes took place at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016. Following a series of baby deaths, Letby was arrested and subsequently charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.
After a trial that commenced in October, a jury at Manchester Crown Court reached its verdict on Friday, following over 100 hours of deliberation. The verdict found Letby guilty of killing five baby boys and two baby girls.
The prosecution presented evidence that Letby targeted her vulnerable, prematurely born victims, often during night shifts. Her methods included injecting air into the babies, overfeeding them with milk, and poisoning them with insulin.
Trial of Baby Killer British Nurse
In response to the verdict, Judge James Goss remarked, “You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies.” Addressing Letby’s absence in court during the sentencing, Goss said, “There was ‘premeditation, calculation, and cunning’ in her actions, with a ‘deep malevolence bordering on sadism’.”
Goss ruled that “because the seriousness of your offences are exceptionally high, I direct that the early release provisions do not apply,” confirming a whole-life prison sentence for each of the offenses.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak criticized Letby’s absence during the sentencing, deeming it “cowardly” that she did not face her victims. Opposition leader Keir Starmer pledged to close the “shamefully exploited loophole” if elected to government.
The sentencing took place without Letby’s presence, denying her the opportunity to hear the victim impact statements from the families affected by her crimes. In these statements, parents expressed the deep emotional toll Letby’s actions had taken on them.
The trial revealed Letby’s unusual interest in the families of her victims and the sending of a sympathy card to grieving parents. Letby denied harming the babies, and her motives for these heinous acts remain unclear.
The UK government has initiated an independent inquiry into the case, focusing on how hospital management addressed concerns raised by clinicians regarding Letby’s behavior. Hospital executives have faced criticism for not taking action sooner, despite reports of concerns being raised by senior doctors as early as 2015.
