Retired Det Supt Stuart Clifton told how he believes convicted baby killer Lucy Letby has likely fallen victim to the ‘greatest miscarriage of justice this century’
The police officer who helped catch child serial killer nurse Beverley Allitt believes Lucy Letby is innocent.
Retired Det Supt Stuart Clifton has been conducting a review of the evidence against the 36-year-old, who is serving 15 whole-life sentences for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others between 2015 and 2016. He said Letby, from Hereford, has likely fallen victim to « the greatest miscarriage of justice this century ».
Last year, a panel of 14 leading medical experts claimed that bad medical care and natural causes led to the deaths of the babies. Among them was retired medic Dr Shoo Lee, who co-authored a 1989 academic paper on air embolism in babies, which featured heavily in Letby’s 10-month trial. He said in February 2024 that he was « pretty certain » she had not murdered or attempted to murder any babies.
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A review by Mr Clifton, a former detective superintendent with Lincolnshire Police, has found no evidence that Letby caused deliberate harm to the babies or that they were deliberately harmed.
« I am totally satisfied that Lucy Letby is innocent of all charges and that the evidence in relation to the causes of deaths and collapses put forward at trial is incorrect, » he told The Sun. « The net result is that this is likely the greatest miscarriage of justice this century – and that we have seen in a very long time. »Set Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ to get quicker access to the news you value.Beverley Allitt was given 13 life sentences for murdering four children, attempting to murder another three and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a further six(Image: PA)
Mr Clifton led the investigation into Allitt, dubbed the Angel of Death, who was convicted of the murders of three infants and an 11-year-old boy, and the attempted murders of three others in 1993. At least two of her victims were killed using overdoses of insulin and a third was found with a large air bubble in their body.
The former detective continued: « The inquiry in the Letby case seems to have started from the presumption that there were unlawful acts being committed at the neonatal unit at Chester Hospital.
« That’s a dangerous presumption to start from. I think what one should do from the start is what we did in the Allitt case. That was, look at the evidence that is available which would support the supposition that these children died as the result of criminal hands.Lucy Letby in footage shared by Netflix(Image: Netflix)
« In my view, there is no evidence at all that children were murdered. And I support that by saying that from June 2015 to July 2016, there were numerous reviews by senior paediatricians at the hospital. None concluded there was a criminal in the midst, killing children and babies. »
He also said he does not believe the handwritten Post-it notes found by police in Letby’s home constitute a confession.
It comes after the CPS confirmed last week that Letby will face no further charges over additional deaths and collapses of babies that were investigated by police. Cheshire Constabulary passed further evidence to prosecutors last year relating to eight potential offences of attempted murder and one offence of murder at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
