The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has stuck with its decision that no further criminal charges should be brought against Lucy Letby, in the wake of an additional review called for by families.
Letby was convicted in August 2023 of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working as a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016.
“An extensive review of the case by a prosecutor independent of the original decisions has now been completed”
Malcolm McHaffie
She was then found guilty after a retrial in June 2024 of attempting to murder a seventh baby and is currently serving multiple life sentences.
However, in July 2025, the CPS received a file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary asking it to consider further allegations of deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies against Letby.
But six months later in January this year, the CPS announced that no criminal charges were to be brought against Letby in relation to the further allegations.
The CPS said that 11 charges were considered in relation to a total of nine babies with both murder and attempted murder considered in respect of two infants.
Of those 11 charges considered, the majority related to the Countess of Chester Hospital while one offence of attempted murder and one offence of murder related to Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
Families then invoked the Victims’ Right to Review – a scheme enabling victims in England and Wales to seek an independent review of CPS decisions not to start a prosecution or to stop a prosecution.
The review of this case was subsequently carried out by a CPS prosecutor who played no part in the original decision not to authorise charges, with the result revealed on Wednesday this week.
It represents a final decision on the matter by the CPS, which said in a statement it had offered to have meetings with the bereaved families to explain its decision in further detail.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “In January 2026, after reviewing a file of evidence from Chesire Constabulary, we decided that no further criminal charges should be brought against Lucy Letby, 36, relating to deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
“The Crown Prosecution Service subsequently received requests in relation to six infants for the decisions to be reviewed under the Victims’ Right to Review scheme,” he said.
“An extensive review of the case by a prosecutor independent of the original decisions, involving a re-examination of substantial evidence and material, has now been completed.
“Six offences of attempted murder were reconsidered in relation to six babies, but the review upheld the original decision not to bring any further criminal charges,” said Mr McHaffie.
He added: “The Crown Prosecution Service has written to the families involved and will offer meetings to answer any further questions. Our thoughts remain with them.”
Letby, although serving multiple life sentences, has made several unsuccessful attempts to appeal and her case has attracted ongoing media attention over the safety of her conviction.
During 2025, criticism of the investigation into the Letby case, the trial process and the legitimacy of expert witnesses ramped up, amid a wider inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her crimes.
Nurses were among 400 healthcare workers who called for a review of Letby’s convictions in an open letter sent to UK health unions in May last year. They also wrote to the prime minister in 2024.
Lucy Letby timeline of events
