Lucy Letby's doctor 'crush' swore killer to secrecy over clandestine emails
While twisted neonatal nurse Lucy Letby preyed on vulnerable babies by injecting them with air, force-feeding them milk and poisoning them with insulin, she sent disturbing messages to colleagues that later provided evidence to put her behind bars.
The 33-year-old's messages to an unnamed paediatric registrar doctor, known as Doctor A, were made public in court, and revealed an insight into her mind and thoughts as the infant death rate horrifically rose inside the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Letby allegedly relied on Doctor A for support during her campaign of terror from June 2015 to 2016, and was said to have turned to him in the aftermath of the killings, often looking for reassurance and praise. She denied the prosecution claim that she wanted to impress him and manufactured crisis situations so they could work together.
The NHS neonatal nurse was accused of killing babies to 'get the attention' of Doctor A, which she denied (Cheshire Constabulary via Getty)
On July 6, Doctor A sent her a message about an inquest into the deaths of Child O and Child P (not pictured) (MEN MEDIA)It was alleged that she murdered two premature triplets in less than 24 hours to get the attention of the doctor, whom she denied having a 'crush' on. Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC suggested during the trial that her attacks on four babies were deliberate attempts to create 'crisis situations' knowing he would come. Mr Johnson asked Letby: "Did you want to get his attention? Is that the reason you sabotaged Child O?" which she denied.
The following day, Child P collapsed when Letby was on duty and Dr A again responded to the emergency crash call. Mr Johnson asked her: "Did you enjoy being in these crisis situations with Dr A. Did it give you something to talk about and message about?" Letby said: "No, Dr A and I were friends."
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
On June 23, 2016, Letby murdered Baby O and on June 24 she murdered Baby P. On July 6, 2016, Doctor A told her about details of a hospital meeting over the deaths of Child O and Child P, the two triplets who Letby had murdered just weeks before. The medic messaged her to say: "You need to keep this to yourself. There is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Please don't. There are going to be some recommendations based on staffing/kit but there was no criticism of either resus."
He then shared an email confirming the deaths will go to an inquest. The following day, he asked Letby: "I know you won't say anything - this email has to stay between us, is that ok?", to which she responded: "Of course. 100 percent." One week later, all staff were sent an email that informed them they would undergo clinical supervision ahead of an external review into deaths at the unit.
Doctor A later provided evidence against Letby behind a screen to protect his identity in court. Letby became visibly distressed for the first time during the trial. She tried to leave the dock, claiming to feel 'unwell' but Mr Johnson replied: "No, it's because you didn't like hearing your boyfriend giving evidence, did you?"
The convicted killer said her relationship - which she claimed was just a friendship - with Doctor A 'fizzled out' at the start of 2018, before she was arrested in July of the same year. In a note discovered in her home following the arrest, she named him then wrote: "My best friend. Love, I loved you and I think you knew that. I trusted you with everything... I wanted you to stand by me but you didn't."
Letby insisted in court: "I loved him as a friend. I was not in love with him. [Doctor A] was a married man, it's not a relationship at all it's a friendship," she said before admitting she did have a boyfriend at this time. It wasn't made clear if this was the same person and no previous partners were mentioned during the trial. It is believed Doctor A now works at a different hospital in another part of the country.
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