A retired head of nursing from the Countess of Chester Hospital has spoken out in defence of Lucy Letby, describing the convicted neonatal nurse as “innocent” and recalling emotional meetings where Letby “cried in my arms.”
Lucy Letby, 35, from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life sentences following two trials at Manchester Crown Court. She was found guilty of murdering seven newborns and attempting to murder seven others, including two separate attempts on one infant, between June 2015 and June 2016. Her conviction followed years of scrutiny into unexplained deaths at the neonatal unit where she worked.
Letby has twice attempted to appeal against her convictions. In May last year, she sought to challenge her convictions for seven counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder. A second attempt was made in October regarding the attempted murder of a baby girl, for which she was convicted by a different jury during a retrial. Both bids were rejected by the Court of Appeal.
Revealing emotional encounters
Karen Rees, 62, a now-retired head of nursing at Countess of Chester Hospital, first met Letby in the summer of 2016 when she was required to inform the nurse of her removal from the neonatal ward. The decision followed mounting concerns about her “clinical practice.”
Rees recounted her first encounter with Letby in an interview with The Sunday Times, describing her as “a very frightened young woman who was shocked and bewildered.”
“What I saw was a broken person,” Rees said. “She was clearly in distress, crying, and struggling to understand what was happening. She repeatedly asked, ‘Why is this happening to me?’”
Despite her initial sympathy, Rees had no choice but to carry out hospital management’s decision. She reportedly informed Letby: “I’ve been given a management instruction that I have to remove you from your clinical practice. This is a neutral act. It’s to protect you as well as the babies. But until this is investigated, you’re going to do a non-clinical role.”
A relationship built on weekly meetings
As part of hospital protocol, Rees was instructed to meet with Letby on a weekly basis for two years following her removal from clinical duties. These meetings, Rees said, became increasingly emotional, as the nurse continued to insist on her innocence.
“She was crying… very distressed every time we met. She kept saying to me, ‘I am not going to let them drive me out of the job that I love. I worked hard. I’ve done nothing wrong.’”
According to Rees, Letby was devastated by the allegations and struggled to comprehend the accusations levelled against her. She maintained her innocence throughout, with Rees describing their interactions as “shocking.”
“She kept repeating how much she loved her job, how she had worked incredibly hard to qualify, and how she would not be forced out by unsubstantiated claims,” Rees added.
Hospital’s role under scrutiny
The hospital’s handling of the case has long been a topic of debate. Several doctors had raised concerns about an unusual spike in neonatal deaths and serious collapses in the unit where Letby worked. The internal investigation eventually led to police involvement, culminating in her arrest in 2018.
Rees’s claims, however, cast doubt on whether proper processes were followed and raise questions about the impact of the hospital’s decisions on Letby’s mental well-being before her eventual conviction.
A controversial perspective
While Rees’s account paints a picture of a woman overwhelmed by her circumstances, many remain convinced of Letby’s guilt. The jury in her trial was presented with extensive evidence, including medical reports, testimony from fellow healthcare professionals, and handwritten notes found at her home.
Some of these notes included statements such as “I am evil” and “I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them.” Prosecutors argued that these writings amounted to a confession, while the defence suggested they reflected a woman under immense psychological pressure.
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Public reaction and legal proceedings
Letby’s case has gripped the nation, with the public divided between those who believe justice was served and others who continue to question the evidence presented in court. Campaigns supporting both perspectives have emerged, some calling for further scrutiny into the legal process.
Despite her failed appeals thus far, Letby’s legal team has not ruled out pursuing further avenues to challenge her conviction. Meanwhile, discussions surrounding the hospital’s accountability and whether warning signs were missed continue.
For now, Letby remains in custody, serving a sentence that ensures she will never be released. Whether new evidence or further appeals might alter the course of her case remains to be seen, but for some—like Karen Rees—questions still linger over whether justice has truly been served.
