Lucy Letby application received by Criminal Cases Review Commission 

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has received an application on behalf of Lucy Letby, the former nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others.  

She is serving 15 whole-life prison terms. 

The CCRC investigates criminal cases where people believe they have been wrongly convicted or wrongly sentenced and can send cases back to the courts. 

Ms Letby is represented by barrister Mark McDonald in her application to the CCRC. He says Ms Letby was wrongly convicted. 

Ms Letby’s convictions followed a long-running, complex police investigation lasting several years and subsequent trials totalling almost ten months.  

A CCRC spokesperson said: “We are aware that there has been a great deal of speculation and commentary surrounding Lucy Letby’s case, much of it from parties with only a partial view of the evidence. We ask that everyone remembers the families affected by events at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.  

“We have received a preliminary application in relation to Ms Letby’s case, and work has begun to assess the application. We anticipate further submissions being made to us. 

“It is not for the CCRC to determine innocence or guilt in a case, that’s a matter for the courts.  

“It is for the CCRC to find, investigate and if appropriate, refer potential miscarriages of justice to the appellate courts when new evidence or new argument means there is a real possibility that a conviction will not be upheld, or a sentence reduced. 

“At this stage it is not possible to determine how long it will take to review this application. A significant volume of complicated evidence was presented to the court in Ms Letby’s trials.  

“The CCRC is independent. We do not work for the government, courts, police, the prosecution or for anyone applying for a review of their case. This helps us investigate alleged miscarriages of justice impartially.”   

Notes to Editors:   

1. An application to the CCRC on behalf of Ms Letby was received on the evening of Monday 3 February 2025. 
2. Further comment on the review will not be provided while the review is under way. 
3. The CCRC is an independent body set up under the Criminal Appeal Act 1995. It is responsible for independently reviewing suspected and alleged miscarriages of criminal justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is based in Birmingham and is funded by the Ministry of Justice.    
4. There are currently nine Commissioners who bring to the CCRC considerable experience from a wide variety of backgrounds. Commissioners are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice. 
5. The CCRC usually receives around 1,500 applications for reviews (convictions and/or sentences) each year. Since starting work in 1997, the CCRC has referred almost 850 cases to the appeal courts.       
6. The CCRC considers whether, as a result of new evidence or argument, there is a real possibility that the conviction would not be upheld were a reference to be made. New evidence or argument is argument or evidence which has not been raised during the trial or on appeal.  Applicants should usually have appealed first. A case can be referred in the absence of new evidence or argument or an earlier appeal only if there are “exceptional circumstances”. 
7. If a case is referred, it is then for the appeal court to decide whether the conviction is unsafe. 
8. More details about the role and work of the Criminal Cases Review Commission can be found at www.ccrc.gov.uk. The CCRC can be found on X @ccrcupdate, Facebook, Instagram (@the_ccrc) and LinkedIn.