Grievance Panel Chair Initially Thought Lucy Letby Accusations Were a “Witch-Hunt”

Annette Weatherley, chairwoman of a grievance panel investigating a complaint by Lucy Letby, initially believed accusations against the former nurse might have been a “witch-hunt”, according to BBC. Speaking at a public inquiry, Weatherley recounted her initial doubts about Letby’s alleged role in the tragic incidents at Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby, sentenced to 15 life orders for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others, was linked to unexplained baby collapses and deaths between June 2015 and June 2016 while working in the hospital’s neonatal unit.

In July 2016, Letby was removed from her clinical duties and placed in a clerical role after hospital consultants began suspecting her connection to the unexplained deaths. When Letby filed a formal complaint challenging her reassignment, a grievance panel, chaired by Weatherley, reviewed her case later that year. The panel ultimately concluded that no evidence of wrongdoing had been provided at the time.

Weatherley shared her observations with police, saying, “The consultants were doing their own kind of investigation…whether they liked or disliked her, there were lots of rumours around.” She described how some consultants began openly referring to Letby as a “baby killer” and appealed to the hospital’s trust to remove her from the neonatal unit.

One rumor presented during the inquiry involved allegations that Letby had rebuffed the romantic advances of one of the doctors who later accused her of harming infants. “I can’t remember who said it, but there was a rumor…a consultant had made it clear he had an interest in her, and she had rebuffed it,” Weatherley told detectives, clarifying that this rumor involved a “physical” advance.

Letby has consistently denied any such advances from consultants. During the inquiry, Karen Rees, the head of nursing in urgent care at the time, stated that she had asked Letby directly if either Dr. Stephen Brearey, the neonatal clinical lead, or Dr. Ravi Jayaram, the children’s services lead, had ever made a pass at her. Letby replied, “absolutely not.”

The ongoing inquiry, which is expected to conclude in early 2025 with findings published by late autumn, continues to examine the events leading up to Letby’s conviction. Weatherley’s testimony offers insight into the initial suspicions, rumors, and interpersonal dynamics that shaped the case, while Letby’s defense continues to contest accusations of any inappropriate relationships with consultants. The inquiry seeks to uncover the complete context of Letby’s actions and the hospital’s response to concerns raised by medical staff.