Lucy Letby ‘hid in plain sight’ like GP killer Harold Shipman, inquiry hears

Serial killer Lucy Letby has been compared to Harold Shipman at a public inquiry opened up into the circumstances around the nurse’s murders.

The Thirwall Inquiry, which began on Monday, is looking into the events surrounding the crimes of Lucy Letby, including the failures of the hospital staff and leadership to respond to concerns raised.

The inquiry’s opening came amid growing speculation over the evidence used to convict Letby over the killings at Chester Countess Hospital last year. Chairwoman Lady Justice Thirwall started the hearing by stating it had caused “an enormous amount of stress” for the families of victims.

Rachel Langdale KC, counsel to the inquiry, then appeared to stamp down the validity of the convictions by comparing Letby to other serial killers, including GP Harold Shipman and nurse killer Beverley Allitt, who she said were manipulative and skilled at hiding in plain sight.

Shipman was found to have killed 250 of his patients while Allitt was convicted of killing four babies in the 1990s.

Ms Langdale said the third part of the inquiry would consider the wider NHS, including the current culture, governance and management structures.

She said: “History tells us that serial killers are deceptive, manipulative and skilled at hiding in plain sight.”

She said an inquiry into Shipman shed little light on why he carried out his crimes and found he was able to kill undetected over many years, enjoying a high reputation.

She added: “For ordinary, decent right-thinking people the actions of Letby will remain unfathomable. We will not be inviting speculation from witnesses about her motive or mindset.”

She said the inquiry would examine why detailed medical analysis of the deaths and collapses of babies did not take place earlier and whether bias in favour of Letby influenced the hospital’s response.

She said: “It was not until April 2017, almost two years after the first murder, that the hospital made a referral to the police and detailed multi-disciplinary medical scrutiny and analysis was finally conducted.”

In her opening speech, Ms Langdale also opened by speaking about Allitt, who was convicted of four counts of murder, three of attempted murder, and a further six of grievous bodily harm on children at the Grantham and Kesteven Hospital, Lincolnshire, in the 1990s.

Ms Langdale said a statement had been received by the inquiry from former secretary of state for health Baroness Bottomley, who ordered an inquiry be conducted to on Allitt’s crimes.

Ms Langdale said: “Nevertheless, and distressingly, 25 years later another nurse working in another hospital killed and harmed babies in her care.”

She said the inquiry would hear the crimes of Allitt formed part of the training course Letby underwent at the University of Chester.