Former head of nursing, Karen Rees, insists Lucy Letby is innocent, recalling Letby’s distress and claims of innocence.
Letby failed to overturn her convictions at the Court of Appeal last year. Rees met Letby in 2016 and later had to remove Letby from the baby ward due to concerns about her work.
Rees said Letby seemed frightened and confused. Rees met with Letby often for two years, and they became quite close during this time.
Rees saw Letby as a broken woman and had to tell Letby about her removal. Rees said it was a neutral act which protected Letby and the babies because Letby would do a non-clinical job during the probe.
Rees had to check on Letby weekly following management instruction and found the meetings shocking. Letby cried and seemed very upset, constantly asking why it was happening and insisting she had done nothing wrong, that she wanted to remain a nurse.
Letby cried in Rees’ arms each week, which Rees found this experience harrowing. Rees feared Letby might try to kill herself. They created a WhatsApp group to support her and Rees told Letby to stay strong in texts, adding that the team supported her.
Rees retired in March 2018, and police arrested Letby four months later. Rees wanted to attend Letby’s trial but could not because she was a potential witness. She offered to help Letby’s defense but was never called to give evidence.
Rees always thought Letby was innocent and after the 2023 conviction, she felt pressured. Rees then said Letby deceived her and thought Letby was convincing.
Rees still believes Letby is innocent, arguing the unit manager knows the nursing team best and that this person is not a visiting consultant. Managers know strengths and weaknesses, and Rees trusted Letby’s ward manager, who maintained that Letby was fantastic.
Rees believed Letby’s claims of innocence and noted that Rees never asked if she did it. Rees did not think she was guilty.