Force hits out at those ‘attempting to destroy reputations’ in Letby probe

The police force that investigated killer nurse Lucy Letby has criticised those “attempting to destroy reputations” after a former cabinet minister claimed officers ignored or broke rules while working on the case.

Cheshire Constabulary said it “strongly refutes” the comments made by Sir David Davis in the House of Commons on Thursday, in which he claimed there had been “multiple deviations from best professional practice”.

Letby, 35, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016.

The babies were attacked by various means while Letby worked as a nurse on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

In a statement issued on Friday, the force said it remains “confident in the integrity of the investigation”, adding that the “constant noise” surrounding the case undermines public confidence in the justice system.

The statement read: “Cheshire Constabulary strongly refutes all the points made during the adjournment debate.

“It implied impropriety on the part of Cheshire Constabulary where none whatsoever has been established.

“We remain confident in the integrity of the investigation, the conduct of the prosecution, and the decisions reached by the courts.”

Sir David told ministers he would write to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to call for a review into the conduct of the force, having previously branded the case as “one of the major injustices of modern times”.

The former Brexit Secretary called for the force to release a series of documents, including investigators’ policy books and decision books, records of identified lines of inquiry and minutes from meetings.

Letby’s case is being reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), after judges rejected her bids to challenge her convictions.

In their statement, Cheshire Constabulary said it is “essential… scrutiny is grounded in fact”.

It continued: “Over the past two years, the force has come under constant criticism and has been intensely scrutinised and subject to unpleasant opinion from a core group of individuals who appear to pride themselves on spreading misinformation, making baseless claims and attempting to destroy reputations.

“While scrutiny of policing is legitimate and welcome, it is essential that such scrutiny is grounded in fact and does not inadvertently cut across due process, ongoing legal considerations, or the independence of the judiciary.

“The constant noise surrounding this case, inaccurate or partial information being presented as fact and attempts to hijack the perceived narrative risk undermining public confidence not only in this case, but in the wider criminal justice system.

“Public confidence is best served by evidence-based discussion and responsible commentary – not ill-informed personal opinions and inaccurate details.

“We are committed to victim-focused justice, public confidence and the rule of law.

“Our thoughts remain with the families of the babies, who have always been at the heart of this case.”