Lawyer: Speculation about Letby’s guilt is ‘devastating’ for families

Letby is serving 15 life sentences – making her only the fourth woman in British history to be told she will never be released from prison.

There has been speculation in recent days that the convicted child murderer may re-appeal with a new legal team. Her new lawyer claims there is an “absolutely” strong case for Letby's innocence.

So it's a really big challenge for them to avoid social media and avoid reporting on it.

Tamlin Bolton, who represents the families of six victims, described the speculation as “disturbing” for all of her clients.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Monday, the lawyer said: “I cannot stress enough how upsetting this has been for all the families I represent.

“And they've thought of so many ways to try to address that and deal with that and make sure they're speaking out. But of course they're limited by wanting to maintain their confidentiality and privacy.

“So it’s a really big challenge for them to avoid social media and the reporting on it.

“But when you have children who are now eight or nine years old, they look at TikTok, they look at social media, and there are people who are claiming that the harm that was done to them or their siblings was not caused by someone who was found guilty of these crimes by a jury and whose appeals have been exhausted, and also the appeals court has said that she remains guilty of these crimes.”

A public inquiry into the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital following Letby's multiple convictions is due to begin in Liverpool on 10 September.

According to Bolton, it is important to emphasize that this is about the “duty of openness” between patients and hospitals and not about criminal convictions, “which are final.”

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday, the lawyer said: “The inquest process is completely different to a criminal trial and looks at very different things… (it) is about the duty of candour between patients and hospitals. It looks at the role of a number of different bodies and how they interact with patient safety in the hospital, and it looks at the administration.”

When you give an expert opinion on something and hold yourself out as an expert, it is really important that you have all the information before you make that statement or express that opinion.

“The focus is not on criminal convictions, which are final and have gone through a comprehensive appeals process.

“The families are devastated by the coverage right now. It is the families who are going through this and will continue to have to go through it in its enormity and seriousness.

“They are the ones who are still raising children now and will one day have to explain to them exactly what happened to them or their siblings as children on that ward… When you give an expert opinion on something and you claim to be an expert, it is really important that you have all the information before you make that statement or express that opinion.

“Because anything beyond that is pure speculation and it would be unfortunate to fall into the same trap that you criticize when you refer to the decision of the jury and the appeals court.”