The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Lucy Letby, the former neonatal nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, will face no new criminal charges. This decision follows a review of potential offences involving nine additional infants, including alleged murders at hospitals in Chester and Liverpool.
Prosecutors Rule Out Fresh Legal Action
Prosecutors announced on Tuesday that evidence relating to 11 potential new offences did not meet the required legal threshold for bringing further charges. The CPS had been considering two murder charges and two attempted murder charges concerning two babies who died, along with seven attempted murder charges relating to seven surviving infants.
Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS special crime division, stated that the service had written to affected families and would offer meetings to explain their decision. "Our thoughts remain with them," he added, acknowledging the difficult nature of the announcement for those involved.
Ongoing Controversy Surrounding Convictions
Letby's existing convictions remain among the most contentious in recent British legal history. The 36-year-old from Hereford continues to serve 15 whole-life prison terms for crimes committed between 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Despite her convictions, Letby has consistently maintained her innocence, arguing that babies died or became seriously unwell due to poor medical care and under-qualified staff rather than criminal actions. She has twice unsuccessfully attempted to overturn her convictions at the Court of Appeal in London.
Legal Challenges and Expert Reviews Continue
Letby's legal team referred her case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in February last year, with investigators currently examining a dossier of 31 reports compiled by 26 experts. These documents, according to her lawyers, significantly undermine the original convictions.
Mark McDonald, Letby's barrister, stated that his client "has always maintained her innocence and that she had never hurt a child and never would." He argued there was "overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered" and called for urgent referral back to the Court of Appeal.
Police Express Disappointment at Decision
Cheshire Constabulary, which has been investigating Letby since 2017, expressed surprise and disappointment at the CPS announcement. The force insisted the decision did not "affect or undermine" existing convictions while confirming their investigation into hospital bosses continues.
The police statement acknowledged that "there will be some who will feel that this is news worth celebrating" but asked that people "respect the privacy and feelings of the families involved."
Political Reaction and Hospital Investigation
Senior Conservative MP David Davis, who has described Letby as the victim of "one of the major injustices of modern times," welcomed the CPS decision. He called for the CCRC to conclude its review quickly and refer the case back to the Court of Appeal for potential retrial.
Meanwhile, Cheshire Constabulary's investigation into hospital leadership continues, with three former senior leaders at the Countess of Chester Hospital arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. All three remain on bail pending further inquiries.
The force emphasised that their ongoing inquiry into alleged corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter by hospital bosses remains active, separate from the decision regarding Letby herself.
