Prosecutors have announced that former nurse Lucy Letby will not face any new charges on suspicion of murdering or harming babies. Letby, 36, is currently serving 15 whole-life prison terms following her convictions for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others (one attacked twice) at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had been considering further charges against Letby in relation to nine babies, including alleged murders and attempted murders at the Countess of Chester Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital, but concluded that the evidence did not meet the test required for a realistic prospect of conviction.

Cheshire Constabulary, which has been investigating Letby since 2017, expressed surprise and disappointment at the CPS's decision, stating it was "not the outcome we had anticipated" and that they were confident in the strength of their evidence. The force submitted files for charging decisions related to nine babies, considering nine offences of attempted murder and two of murder.

Despite their representations, they must respect the CPS's independent decision, which was made based on the evidence and legal tests. Cheshire Police emphasized that this announcement does not affect or undermine Letby’s existing convictions, and their separate investigation into hospital bosses over alleged corporate and gross negligence manslaughter continues.

The CPS's decision comes after receiving a file of evidence from Cheshire Constabulary in July 2025 concerning 11 new offences related to two infants who died and seven who survived. Frank Ferguson, head of the CPS’s Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, stated they had written to the families of the babies involved and would offer meetings to explain their decision, with thoughts remaining with them.

Some families affected by these new allegations expressed devastation, feeling their children would not receive justice, with one mother noting police stated the evidence didn't meet the prosecution threshold. However, all victims of crime retain an automatic 'right to review' the CPS's decision, and parents can also pursue civil action against the NHS, which has a lower threshold for seeking damages than criminal cases.

In stark contrast, Letby’s defense team and campaigners welcomed the announcement. Her barrister, Mark McDonald, reiterated Letby's consistent maintenance of innocence, asserting she "has never hurt a child and never would." He called for an urgent referral of her case back to the Court of Appeal, arguing there is "overwhelming evidence that no babies were murdered."

This position is supported by a dossier of 31 reports compiled by 26 internationally renowned experts, including a panel led by Canadian neonatologist Dr. Shoo Lee. These experts claim no murders took place, concluding that the 17 newborns Letby was convicted of attacking instead suffered from "bad medical care" or deteriorated due to natural causes. Senior Conservative MP David Davis, a vocal supporter who described Letby as a victim of "one of the major injustices of modern times," also welcomed the decision, urging the CCRC to quickly refer the case for a third appeal.

Letby has previously made two unsuccessful attempts to overturn her convictions at the Court of Appeal. Her legal team referred the case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) in February last year, and the CCRC is currently examining whether her case should be sent back to the Court of Appeal for a third review. A source close to the matter suggested the "noise" surrounding the safety of Letby's original convictions likely influenced the CPS's decision, viewing any new prosecution as potentially untriable and a "complete circus."

Meanwhile, the investigation into alleged corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital, known as Operation Duet, continues. Three former senior leaders at the hospital were arrested in June 2025 on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and remain on bail. A leaked independent report commissioned after Letby's initial arrest in July 2018 suggested hospital managers were "inexperienced" and missed 14 opportunities to suspend the nurse, becoming "blinkered" to the possibility of her involvement. This report indicated that earlier action could potentially have reduced the number of baby deaths.

Despite the CPS's decision regarding new charges and the ongoing efforts by Letby's defense, the parents of Letby's original victims remain "utterly convinced" of her guilt. In their closing statements to The Thirlwall Inquiry, they asserted, "Letby murdered and attempted to murder babies," and dismissed the defense panel's evidence as flawed and a re-hash, ignoring crucial circumstantial evidence such as confidential handover sheets, "confession" notes, Facebook searches for parents, doctored medical notes, and gaslighting of colleagues that contributed to the original guilty verdicts.