Investigator Taken Off Case After Praising Officer in Letby Inquiry

The body responsible for investigating potential miscarriages of justice in England has removed its lead investigator from the review of Lucy Letby's case after it emerged he had publicly praised the senior officer who led the investigation into her.

Shaun Edwards had been working on the case at the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) following Letby's application last January to challenge the safety of her convictions. However, months after her second trial, he attended an awards ceremony where Cheshire Constabulary received investigation team of the year for Operation Hummingbird—the inquiry into Letby.

At the same event, Superintendent Paul Hughes, who headed the operation, was named national senior investigating officer of the year. Mr Edwards later shared a message on LinkedIn congratulating him, describing the recognition as "very well deserved" and praising his leadership of a "high-profile, complex investigation".

Caroline Corfield, then head of investigations at the CCRC, was also present at the ceremony. The commission represents Letby's only remaining route to a retrial or release, should it decide to refer her case back to the courts.

A CCRC spokesperson said Mr Edwards' comments, made prior to joining the organisation, did not influence its ongoing review. However, they confirmed that, "in the interests of transparency," he would no longer be involved in the case.

The spokesperson added that while staff conduct inquiries, decisions on whether to refer a conviction back to the courts are made independently by commissioners.

Concerns have been raised about a potential conflict of interest. A source told The Sun that the situation "raises clear questions," adding that the CCRC's role could prove crucial given the growing scrutiny surrounding the case.

Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Since her conviction, a number of scientists, medical professionals and politicians have publicly questioned the safety of the verdicts.

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