Nurse Lucy Letby Found Guilty of Murdering Seven Babies in Britain’s Longest Murder Trial
In a shocking and horrifying case, Nurse Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies, making her the most prolific child serial killer in modern times in the UK. The verdict was delivered after a trial that lasted for more than 10 months, which is believed to be the longest murder trial in the history of the country.
Letby, who was convicted following a two-year investigation by Cheshire Police, is due to be sentenced later today. However, she has indicated that she will not be present in court for the hearing. Her legal team has also revealed that she does not wish to follow the proceedings via a videolink from prison. The reasons for her non-attendance have not been disclosed.
During the trial, it was revealed that Letby deliberately injected babies with air, force fed them milk, and poisoned two infants with insulin between June 2015 and June 2016. Shockingly, she refused to appear in the dock as the latest verdicts were read out on Friday. These verdicts had been delivered over several hearings but could not be reported until all the verdicts were returned.
Letby, originally from Hereford, broke down in tears as the first guilty verdicts were read out on August 8 after 76 hours of jury deliberations. She cried with her head bowed when the second set of guilty verdicts were returned on August 11.
The families of the victims expressed their gratitude towards the jurors who had to endure 145 days of “gruelling” evidence. However, the defendant was found not guilty of two attempted murder charges, and the jury was undecided on further attempted murder charges related to four babies.
Nicholas Johnson KC, the prosecuting lawyer, has asked the court for 28 days to consider whether a retrial would be sought for the remaining six counts of attempted murder. Throughout the trial, Letby was described by the prosecution as a “calculating and devious” opportunist who “gaslighted” colleagues to cover up her “murderous assaults.”
The conviction comes after a thorough investigation by Cheshire Police into the alarming and unexplained rise in deaths and near-fatal collapses of premature babies at the hospital. The community is left shocked and devastated by the horrific actions of a person who was supposed to provide care and support to the most vulnerable members of society.
As Letby awaits her sentencing, the focus now turns to the victims and their families, who will carry the pain and trauma of this tragic ordeal for the rest of their lives. The sentencing is expected to bring some closure, but the scars left by this harrowing case will never fully heal.