Consultant Mark Deakin, a married father of two who was described as Lucy Letby's 'boyfriend' during her trial, has died after being dismissed from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. Deakin, 53, was found collapsed in his car on June 23, the day after his dismissal, and died nine days later in Whiston Hospital. He had been admitted to intensive care but never regained consciousness.
Deakin was sacked for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing over inappropriate text messages exchanged with Letby while they worked together at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The messages breached patient confidentiality and involved details about the care of a premature baby boy, referred to as Baby N, whom Letby was convicted of attempting to murder.
Letby, a former neonatal nurse, is serving a sentence of 15 whole life terms for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others between June 2015 and June 2016. During her trial, prosecutor Nick Johnson KC suggested that Deakin was Letby's 'boyfriend' and that she was infatuated with him, harming babies knowing he would be called to assist.
Letby denied they were having a romantic affair, stating they were 'best friends.' However, texts discovered by police at her home referred to him as 'sweetie' and 'love,' and included notes with his name and love hearts.
Deakin's disciplinary hearing in June 2024 stemmed from an investigation launched by Alder Hey NHS Trust in January 2024. The inquiry found that Deakin had a close relationship with Letby and likely knew about concerns raised by colleagues regarding her link to a spike in infant deaths. Despite this, he arranged for Letby to visit Alder Hey in 2017, which the inquiry suggested could have put patient safety at risk.
During these observational visits, Letby accompanied Deakin on ward rounds and clinics, attended a hospital meeting on insulin—the substance Letby used to harm infants—and shadowed a nurse in pediatric intensive care. Deakin also accessed Baby N's medical records inappropriately, even after Letby's conviction.
Deakin told the Thirlwall Inquiry, investigating Letby's crimes, that he believed the nurse had 'misled and maybe manipulated' him into providing information about babies she had attacked. He admitted to sharing too much clinical detail and acknowledged that forwarding Letby an email about the impending inquests into the deaths of triplets Child O and P, whom Letby murdered, was an error. He stated he was trying to be supportive amid his worry for the babies and Letby's apparent distress.
Letby's visits to Alder Hey were approved by a letter from Karen Rees, head of nursing at the Countess of Chester Hospital, which stipulated that Letby must not have direct patient contact and remain supervised. The letter did not mention that she was suspected of causing harm.
Deakin was a married father of two and had been appointed a specialist diabetes consultant at Alder Hey in July 2018. His death has been referred to the Cheshire Coroner, who confirmed preliminary inquiries have begun. His dismissal by Alder Hey would have necessitated reporting to the General Medical Council, potentially impacting his professional registration.