Police investigating the hospital where the nurse Lucy Letby worked have widened their inquiries to include gross negligence manslaughter by senior staff.
Cheshire constabulary says it has expanded its inquiry into the Countess of Chester hospital despite growing questions around Letby’s convictions.
The former nurse is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another seven.
Police launched an investigation into corporate manslaughter and the actions of senior managers at the hospital after Letby’s original trial in October 2023.
But the inquiry will now include gross negligence manslaughter by unnamed individuals. The Guardian understands this includes managers.
Det Supt Paul Hughes, the senior investigating officer, said: “As our inquiries have continued, the scope of the investigation has now widened to also include gross negligence manslaughter.
“This is a separate offence to corporate manslaughter and focuses on the grossly negligent action or inaction of individuals.
“It is important to note that this does not impact on the convictions of Lucy Letby for multiple offences of murder and attempted murder.”
International experts said last month they had found no medical evidence to support allegations of deliberate harm after reviewing the babies’ medical records on behalf of Letby’s new defence team.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, is examining the case after receiving the findings of a detailed report by the 14 experts.
It has the power to refer a case to the court of appeal if it believes there is a “real possibility” that judges would quash a conviction.
Letby, 35, has already lost an attempt to challenge her convictions at the court of appeal.
Hughes said those identified as suspects had been notified but the force would not confirm their identity or how many were under investigation. No arrests have been made.
“Both the corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter elements of the investigation are continuing and there are no set timescales for these,” he said.
Cheshire constabulary said its investigation into the deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neonatal units of the Countess of Chester and the Liverpool women’s hospital between 2012 and 2016 was also continuing.
The announcement comes days before Lady Justice Thirlwall, the judge leading the public inquiry into the deaths, is scheduled to hear legal submissions for the inquiry to be paused given the CCRC is now involved.
Letby’s new barrister, Mark McDonald, told the Guardian: “The timing of this is of real concern. Is this really an attempt again by the police to control the narrative right before submissions are being made to Thirlwall for it to pause.
“Why are they doing this now? Is this another attempt to control the narrative? Particularly when there is substantial expert evidence that points the finger in a different direction.”
McDonald said the development raised “serious question marks” about the force’s decision making.
Letby was convicted of murdering four of the seven babies by injecting air into their bloodstreams and attempting to kill several others by the same method.
She was also convicted of harming two babies by poisoning them with insulin, pumping air into their feeding tube, force-feeding one with milk and causing trauma to the abdomen.
The international panel of experts, however, concluded there was “no medical evidence supporting malfeasance causing death or injury” in any of the babies whose cases they examined.
It said there were numerous problems in the care of the babies, including a failure to properly carry out “basic medical procedures, delays in their treatment and the misdiagnosis of diseases”.
