Letby inquiry finds babies' deaths could have been prevented

The Thirlwall Inquiry has concluded that babies attacked by Lucy Letby at the Countess of Chester hospital would have been protected if staff had acted on concerns raised earlier.

• Lady Justice Thirlwall found that three babies may have survived and seven others could have been protected if hospital staff had acted on concerns about Letby.
• Thirlwall concluded there was a "complete failure to protect babies" on the hospital's neonatal unit.
• Thirlwall said two newborn twins would not have died and five others would not have been harmed if Letby had been removed from the ward in October 2015.
• Letby, 36, is serving 15 whole-life prison terms for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven others.
• The Guardian's editorial said Thirlwall should have delayed the report until Letby's appeal was resolved, warning its findings would be undermined if her convictions were overturned.
• The inquiry found Letby was 'repeatedly untruthful, callous and quiet' and had ignored management instructions.
• Thirlwall noted that a mother's account of her baby's distress had been omitted from Letby's nursing notes.
• The Guardian said the inquiry never engaged with concerns from 24 experts, led by Dr Shoo Lee, that Letby may have been wrongfully convicted.