Agony for families of killer nurse Lucy Letby victims as new TV show probes case

Channel 5 is screening a new documentary about Lucy Letby's case on Sunday night, but a source close to the victims' families accused the broadcaster of 'advocating for a killer'

The families of babies murdered by Lucy Letby face yet more agony as a new television documentary casting doubt on the killer nurse’s convictions airs.

Channel 5 will screen Lucy Letby: The New Evidence on Sunday night at 9pm. An ad for the show reads: “This film follows up Channel 5’s documentary Lucy Letby: Did She Really Do It? to explore the new wealth of questions that have emerged about her case, as well as meeting the experts who hope to have her case officially reviewed.”

On Saturday night, a furious source close to the victims' families told the broadcaster: “You are advocating for a killer. Enough pain has been dished out to the families. A documentary like this is disrespectful. Lucy Letby was convicted by two juries and denied leave to appeal by the Court of Appeal. Channel 5 is disgraceful.”

Letby’s 10-month murder trial was one of the longest ever and followed a six-year police investigation. Last August she was sentenced to 14 whole-life terms after being convicted of killing seven babies and trying to kill six more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and 2016.

The jury could not agree a verdict on another attempted murder charge but after a retrial in July she was convicted and got a 15th life term. Channel 5 has not said who will feature in tonight’s programme, made by F22 Films, but experts who question Letby’s guilt, including statistics professors Peter Green and Richard Gill, are likely to appear.

Lady Justice Thirlwall is leading an inquiry into the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital, including how Letby was able to kill. Channel 5 and F22 Films were approached for comment.