Key Lucy Letby retrial bid witness Dr Evans hits back at lawyer over 'unsubstantiated' claims

Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans hit out at a version of events given by Lucy Letby's barrister after her legal team gave a major update about her case

A doctor at the centre of Lucy Letby's bid for a retrial has furiously hit back at "unsubstantiated" claims made by her defence lawyer.

Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans denied the version of events given by Letby's barrister Mark McDonald. Mr McDonald called a press conference on Monday to say that Dr Evans had changed his mind about how three babies had died.

Mr McDonald was immediately seeking permission from the Court of Appeal to re-examine her case, describing Dr Evans as an unreliable expert. He said that meant the former nurse's convictions for murder and attempted murder were unsafe.

But Dr Evans said: "Mr Mark McDonald's observations regarding my evidence is unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate. His method of presenting his information reflects clear prejudice and bias. I find his style most unedifying, most unprofessional. It's highly disrespectful to the families of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby."

Letby, 34, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. Dr Evans said he could not recall a senior barrister advocating on behalf of a client at a press conference, "especially a case of such sensitivity".

He added: "The only place appropriate to deal with any potential appeal is the relevant court. If required I would be pleased to give evidence in the usual way; on oath, subject to cross examination and where my evidence is placed in the public domain. I would expect any other participant to agree to the same principles."

In response, Mr McDonald said yesterday: "Dr Evans has written a new report on Baby C, 12 months after Lucy Letby was convicted, please can this be disclosed to the defence? This issue of reliability of any prosecution medical expert is now a matter for the Court of Appeal and Criminal Cases Review Commissions but certainly the disclosure of this new report may help them in deciding this question."

Letby has lost two bids this year to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal, in May for seven murders and seven attempted murders and in October for the attempted murder of a baby girl which she was convicted of by a different jury at a retrial. Dr Evans said the first ruling by three Court of Appeal of judges "provided a very thorough review of the evidence" presented at Letby's first trial which lasted 10 months.

He added: "They were supportive of my evidence. They supported the verdict of the Manchester trial unreservedly. I am not in receipt of any information that indicates that the Appeal Court judges were mistaken."

Letby was convicted of murdering Child C, Child I and P by forcing air down a nasogastric tube and into their stomachs. Dr Evans said the evidence of Letby's involvement in the death of Child I, a baby girl, in October 2015 was "compelling and overwhelming".

Evidence in the June 2016 death of Child P, a triplet boy, and Letby's involvement was also "consistent and considerable", he said. Dr Evans has forwarded a detailed report to Cheshire Police about Child C, a baby boy, who died in June 2015, which he says "clarifies the situation both with regard to the time of Letby's murderous assault and the cause of the baby's death".

Cheshire Police are reviewing the care of 4,000 babies admitted to hospital while Letby was working as a neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester from Jan 2012 to June 2016 and at Liverpool Women's Hospital in two work placements in 2012 and 2015.

Letby had been questioned under caution in prison as part of the probe into baby deaths and non-fatal collapses. Dr Evans said police should be able to complete their investigation "without any distractions", as should Lady Justice Thirlwall who is chair of the public inquiry into the events surrounding Letby's crimes.

The Thirlwall Inquiry has heard evidence at Liverpool Town Hall since September and will resume in January, with findings expected to be published in autumn 2025.