Lawyers for the former neonatal nurse argued her retrial for trying to kill a newborn known as Child K should not have gone ahead due to “overwhelming and irremediable prejudice” caused by media coverage of her other crimes.
However, three senior judges swiftly dismissed the bid in a Court of Appeal hearing yesterday, ruling the trial judge was right when he concluded she would have a fair second trial.
The 34-year-old was previously sentenced to 14 whole life orders for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others, with two attempts on one child, when she was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital. A bid to appeal against those convictions was dismissed in May.
Following her first trial, which ran from October 2022 to August 2023, the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case of Child K, but a second jury took just three-and-a-half hours to convict her at the retrial at Manchester Crown Court in July. She was handed her 15th whole life order for the crime.
Benjamin Myers KC, for Letby, told the Court of Appeal that the charge should have been “stayed” as an “abuse of process” due to “overwhelming and irremediable prejudice” caused by media coverage of her first trial.
This story is from the October 25, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 25, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Brexit Deals A £3bn-A-Year Blow To UK Food Exports
British food sales to the EU have fallen by almost a fifth since the end of the Brexit transition period, a new report shows
Biden Criticised Across The Board For Pardoning His Son
President’s decision slated by Republicans and Democrats
Why 8 hours is a myth and other athletes' sleep secrets
Performance coach Greg Meehan tells Alex Pattle how he keeps clients, including boxers and footballers, in top shape
Women like me won't stand for this treatment any more
When I woke up to MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace blaming midlife, middle-class women and their lack of a sense of humour for his troubles, I confess to swearing at my phone.
The BBC's Wallace problem goes beyond MasterChef
Is the fate of a television cookery presenter more important than Syrian insurgents seizing Aleppo and the turmoil on the streets in Georgia? The BBC thinks so, based on its news judgements in recent days, which have seen exhaustive coverage of the accusations against Gregg Wallace take precedence over matters of life and death around the world.
Edwards knew that he was beaten but he never gave up
Former world flyweight champion told cornerman, 'I don't want to be here' after two rounds of his loss to Galal Yafai
Proud Welshman who drew every drop from his talent
Terry Griffiths was the first qualifier to lift the world crown
Former world champion Terry Griffiths dies, aged 77
Tributes have been paid to former world snooker champion Terry Griffiths, who died on Sunday at the age of 77 after a long battle with dementia.
Transformed Gravenberch embodies Slot's Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp had a habit of sounding prophetic. Or he had the capacity, whether through coaching and tactical prowess or force of personality, to make some of what he said come true.
Soaring house prices heap pressure on fixer Rayner
Sorry to make a soggy start to the week even more miserable, but it brings bad news for homebuyers. The housing market has taken a shot of adrenaline and performed a season’s best in the high jump.
