Three former senior staff members at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, related to the hospital’s handling of cases involving nurse Lucy Letby, who murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven others between 2015 and 2016. The arrests follow an investigation into potential corporate manslaughter, which was launched in 2023.
The three individuals worked with Letby on the senior leadership team between 2015 and 2016 and were bailed after being questioned earlier this month. They have not been named by police due to normal procedure.
Gross negligence manslaughter carries a life sentence, while corporate manslaughter can result in an unlimited fine for an organization but no jail sentence for individuals. The investigation into Letby’s case found her guilty of multiple murders and attempted murders, which were confirmed by the convictions of 15 whole-life prison sentences.
The arrests are part of a wider investigation into deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at various hospitals, including the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women’s Hospital, dating back to 2012. The investigation does not impact on Letby’s existing convictions.
Letby has maintained her innocence and applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for re-examination of the evidence. The CCRC is reviewing the application and has yet to provide a timeline for its decision.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62ddkde7y5o