Lawyer Calls Hospital's Prioritization of Reputation Over Infant Safety 'Offensive'

It was "offensive" that hospital executives prioritized the institution's reputation over the safety of infants, a lawyer representing the families of victims of serial child killer Lucy Letby stated Wednesday.

Richard Scorer, who represents four families, including those of two triplet brothers murdered by Letby, described the public inquiry report by Lady Justice Thirlwall as "devastating." While much of the report's content was not surprising to the parents, having emerged during the seven-month trial, seeing "the truth" in "black and white" does not alter "the appalling reality" of their loss, Scorer told the Mail's Trial+ podcast.

The 822-page report details how managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital failed to act on suspicions that Letby was harming babies, delaying police involvement and allowing her to continue her killing spree. Lady Justice Thirlwall found that the hospital's leadership was "dysfunctional" and "completely failed" to protect infants.

Scorer highlighted the particular difficulty for the parents of the triplets, known as Baby O and Baby P, who the report concluded would not have been murdered had managers followed safeguarding procedures and involved the police sooner. "(The parents of the triplets now) know what could have been different if those at the hospital had done their jobs properly, acted more quickly, acted in accordance with safeguarding rules and safeguarding procedures and brought the police (in sooner)," Scorer said.

Letby, 36, murdered seven babies and harmed seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She is currently serving 15 whole-life sentences, though she maintains her innocence. A review of her case by the Criminal Cases Review Commission is ongoing.

Lady Justice Thirlwall was critical of former Chief Executive Tony Chambers, who she stated engaged in an "exercise in spin" to deflect concerns about a nurse causing harm and significantly delayed calling in the police. The report indicated that Chambers was concerned about the possibility of negative press coverage. Scorer echoed concerns about such institutional defensiveness, drawing parallels to cases of child sexual abuse in institutional settings where instincts to "dismiss the evidence and focus on protecting the institution" can arise.

Scorer supported the judge's recommendation for a government-implemented disbarring system for NHS managers found guilty of misconduct, but noted that its effectiveness would depend on rigorous application.

Letby's conviction made her the most prolific child serial killer in British history. The report's findings underscore the systemic failures that allowed her crimes to continue for an extended period, impacting numerous families and highlighting the critical importance of prompt and effective safeguarding procedures within healthcare institutions.