Doctor hits back at claims he "changed mind" over Letby evidence

Dr. Dewi Evans has criticised a press conference given by Letby's legal team

Author: Liam ArrowsmithPublished 17th Dec 2024

A doctor has said claims he has changed his mind over the cause of death for three of Lucy Letby's victims are "unsubstantiated" and "inaccurate".

Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans responded to the assertions of Letby's barrister Mark McDonald, who said the prosecution's lead medical witness had altered his views on how the infants had died at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit.

Mr McDonald told reporters he was immediately seeking permission from the Court of Appeal to relook at her case on the grounds that Dr Evans is "not a reliable expert" and the former nurse's convictions for murder and attempted murder are unsafe.

On Tuesday, Dr Evans said: "Mr Mark McDonald's observations regarding my evidence is unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate.

"His method of presenting his information reflects clear prejudice and bias. I find his style most unedifying, most unprofessional.

"It's highly disrespectful to the families of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby."

In response, Mr. McDonald said: "“Dr Evans has written a new report on Baby C, 12 months after Lucy Letby was convicted, please can this be disclosed to the defence.

"This issue of reliability of any prosecution medical expert is now a matter for the Court of Appeal and Criminal Cases Review Commissions but certainly the disclosure of this new report may help them in deciding this question”

Letby, 34, 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, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016.

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