A conversation between police and a key prosecution witness regarding evidence in the Lucy Letby case has surfaced, raising questions about the handling of the investigation. The exchange, which occurred in April 2024, involved Dr. Ravi Jayaram, a consultant pediatrician, and Cheshire Police. Dr. Jayaram was a significant witness in both of Letby's trials.
The transcript, obtained by investigative journalist Cleuci de Oliveira, captures a discussion about discrepancies in swipe card data for a door within the Countess of Chester Hospital's Neonatal Unit. This data was considered important in establishing the movements of staff, including Letby, on the night a baby, referred to as Baby K, became unwell.
During the conversation, Dr. Jayaram questioned the timings of swipe records, noting that one entry appeared to indicate a nurse named Jo Williams leaving the unit at 3:47 a.m. Darren Riley, a civilian investigator, clarified that this entry actually signified the nurse's return. "We can't change the data," Riley stated, "But we can change the interpretation of it."
This exchange has drawn criticism. Sir David Davis, a former Conservative Cabinet minister, commented that it is "deeply troubling to see what appears to be the police and a key witness reshaping the interpretation of the evidence to Lucy Letby’s disadvantage in advance of her retrial." He has called for an independent review of Cheshire Police's handling of the case.
Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others. The prosecution's case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence. Dr. Jayaram's testimony was crucial, particularly his account of being present near Baby K when the infant was in distress. Headlines in the second trial suggested he had caught Letby "virtually red-handed."
However, Dr. Jayaram's earlier statements, including an email from 2017, have come under scrutiny. In that email, he reportedly wrote that he went to investigate Baby K after Letby herself raised the alarm and asked for his help, rather than due to pre-existing suspicions about the nurse.
Cheshire Police have declined to comment on the matter. Dr. Jayaram has not yet responded to requests for comment.