Lucy Letby's Doctor 'Boyfriend' Died After Dismissal for Exchanging Messages with Killer Nurse

Consultant Mark Deakin, 53, died after being reported missing on the same day he was dismissed for exchanging messages with convicted baby killer Lucy Letby. A coroner was informed that Deakin was found collapsed in his car on June 24, a day after his sacking from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. He was admitted to intensive care and died nine days later on July 3.

The married father-of-two, who was granted anonymity during Letby's trial, was named after reporting restrictions were lifted following his death. An inquiry established after Letby was jailed for murdering and harming babies found that Deakin prioritized his concern for Letby over his duty to patients.

Details of Deakin's death were presented at a brief inquest hearing at Cheshire coroner's court, where the cause was deemed unnatural, prompting the need for an inquest. Police received a call concerning Dr. Deakin on June 23, leading to inquiries that located him in his vehicle on June 24. He was taken to Whiston Hospital for treatment.

While the exact cause of death was not provided, sources suggest he was found in an apparent diabetic coma. Dr. Deakin had forwarded a confidential email to Letby, which contained details from a 2016 staff meeting discussing babies who had died or fallen ill under Letby's care. He advised her to keep the information private.

Inquiry chairwoman Lady Justice Thirlwall noted that Dr. Deakin had "blurred boundaries" between his professional obligations and his desire to help Letby, concluding that "He put her first." Letby, who maintained they were "best friends" and denied a romantic affair during her trial, is serving 15 life sentences for murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Dr. Deakin faced a disciplinary hearing in June regarding inappropriate text messages exchanged with Letby, which breached patient confidentiality. These messages involved details concerning a premature baby boy, known as Baby N, whom Letby was convicted of attempting to kill. Later, Dr. Deakin arranged observational visits for Letby at Alder Hey, where he worked as a locum, and supported her grievance claim after she was moved from nursing duties due to suspicions surrounding infant deaths.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC had suggested during Letby's trial that Dr. Deakin was her "boyfriend" and that she harmed babies knowing he would be among the medical staff called to assist. Letby reacted emotionally when he testified. During searches of her home, notes with Dr. Deakin's name and love hearts were found, and she referred to him as 'sweetie' and 'love' in texts.

An investigation by Alder Hey NHS Trust, initiated in January 2024, found that Dr. Deakin had a close relationship with Letby and likely knew about concerns raised by her colleagues. Despite this, he arranged for her visits to Alder Hey in 2017, potentially jeopardizing patient safety. Letby accompanied him on ward rounds and attended hospital events, including one on insulin, the substance she used to harm some of her victims. Dr. Deakin also accessed Baby N's medical records inappropriately.

Dr. Deakin accepted breaching Baby N's confidentiality at his disciplinary hearing but denied knowing Letby was under suspicion when he organized her visits. The panel rejected his account, and he was fired for gross misconduct on June 23. His relatives reported him missing, and he was found collapsed in his car on June 24. He was admitted to intensive care but never regained consciousness.

Dr. Deakin, a former registrar at the Countess of Chester Hospital, told the Thirlwall Inquiry that he supported Letby due to her mental health struggles and admitted sharing excessive clinical details about patients, which he later deemed inappropriate. He was involved in the care of two of Letby's victims and admitted failing to recognize the significance of high insulin levels in Baby L, a failure Lady Justice Thirlwall attributed to him directly, not as a collective error.

Colleagues recalled concerns about Letby being discussed at a meeting Dr. Deakin attended regarding infant deaths, though he stated he did not recall this. He later messaged Letby about the meeting's details. The following day, he forwarded an email from a lead neonatal consultant suggesting he prepare an inquest statement about Letby's involvement to Letby, telling her to keep it confidential. He told the inquiry he was trying to reassure her, admitting in hindsight it was an error.

Describing himself as having been "misled and maybe manipulated" by Letby, Dr. Deakin expressed regret. However, Lady Justice Thirlwall characterized his actions as "most unwise" and another instance of "blurring of boundaries."