Why did Letby become a killer?

She is one of the most prolific female serial killers in British history. Here, a criminal psychologist reveals what may have led to Lucy Letby's horrific crimes

- ALI GRAVES

Her actions shocked the nation to its core. How could a trusted and seemingly dedicated nurse kill seven babies and attempt to murder six more in a hospital’s neonatal unit? But as we try to understand the depths of Lucy Letby’s depravity, the questions remain about her motive and how an apparently “ordinary” young woman turned into a cold, calculating killer.

One man who has more insight than most is criminal psychologist Dr David Holmes who says Letby is “an actress, who has been pretending to be a human being and has done this most of her life”.

She was not, however, born to kill babies.

“I believe she was born with the brain configuration of a psychopath,” says Dr Holmes. “Someone born with this learns to deal with it in many ways. There are many out there – some are CEOs of large companies – and sometimes their lack of empathy for others shows through.

“Those who come to our attention are serial killers – and I do mean serial killers. Not just killers, because people can kill for various reasons, but someone who goes on to kill again and again is someone with a lack of feeling for others, a level of insensitivity.”

Last week at Manchester Crown Court, Letby was handed a whole-life order for every charge she faced, meaning she will die behind bars.

The 33-year-old nurse targeted babies between June 2015 and June 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital, force-feeding infants milk, poisoning them with insulin or injecting them with air.

Dr Holmes says it’s likely Letby went through life “manipulating people by playing a very nice person”, finding purpose and power in her controlling nature within her nursing role.