True Criminals

Is Lucy Letby Innocent? Dr Svilena Dimitrova Explains the Evidence | Part 1

True Criminals

Show Notes

In this two-part episode of True Criminals, we explore one of modern Britain’s most debated true crime cases: is Lucy Letby innocent? This Lucy Letby podcast looks at the case of the neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others, with an additional attempted murder conviction added after a 2024 retrial. She is serving 15 whole life orders following the Cheshire Police investigation, Operation Hummingbird, which alleged deliberate harm including air embolism, insulin poisoning, and physical assault.

We are joined in the studio by Dr. Svilena Dimitrova, consultant neonatologist and patient safety expert advising the defence. Dr. Dimitrova reviews the medical evidence in the case, including insulin poisoning claims and the death of Baby O, and considers how clinical errors, system pressures, and data interpretation may have influenced the investigation and trial.

Part One revisits the Countess of Chester neonatal unit in 2015–16, a high-pressure environment facing staff shortages and rising infant deaths. We explore how the police investigation unfolded, the expert testimony presented in court, and the questions that continue to be raised by legal analysts, medical experts, and the public.

At the centre of the story are the babies and their families, whose loss is profound. This episode examines the Lucy Letby case with care, presenting the events, the evidence, and the ongoing debate over the convictions.

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Connect with Martin Brunt

Follow Martin on Twitter at ⁠⁠@skymartinbrunt⁠⁠. Discover more about his career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here: ⁠⁠https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY⁠⁠.

Connect with Helen Fospero Follow Helen on Instagram at ⁠⁠@helenfospero⁠⁠ and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575⁠⁠.

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Executive Producer: Lee Mann. Producer: Russell Barnes. Audio Production: BLEACHED Music Composition: BLEACHED Artwork: BLEACHED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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