Will the Thirlwall report change the debate about Lucy Letby?

The upcoming Thirlwall Report will examine the management failures at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the time Lucy Letby committed her crimes. The report is not intended to review the legal convictions of Letby, but rather to address systemic accountability.
Why it matters
The inquiry addresses public concern regarding hospital safety and the potential negligence of management in protecting vulnerable patients.
By Judith Moritz Special correspondent Published 13 September 2026, 00:15 BST Mention Lucy Letby and you're likely to get a strong reaction.
The nurse was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more.
But though two juries have convicted her, and she has twice been denied permission to appeal, it seems everyone has an opinion on whether she really did it.
There's loud scepticism about her convictions from some, and vocal certainty about her guilt from others. She has become the centre of an information war.
The name Lady Justice Thirlwall, however, attracts less recognition.
Image source, Facebook Image caption, Letby was handed a whole-life prison term for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others
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