Lucy Letby’s doctor ‘boyfriend’ found dead in car – after being ‘sacked over texts about her attempted murder of baby’

LUCY Letby’s “boyfriend” died on the anniversary of her arrest after reportedly being sacked for sending texts about a baby she attempted to murder. The doctor – in his 50s and who The Sun first revealed last week had died suddenly – was found dead in his car on the eighth anniversary of the nurse’s first arrest on July 3, 2018. Lucy Letby was jailed for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more Credit: PA Letby being arrested at home in Chester on July 3, 2018 Credit: AFP The doctor was hauled before a disciplinary hearing in June over a series of inappropriate texts he sent the former neo-natal nurse while they worked together at the Countess of Chester Hospital, reports the Daily Mail. The messages are understood to have breached patient confidentiality. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! They are reported to have involved details of the care of a premature baby boy with haemophilia, known only as Baby N – who Letby was found guilty of attempting to murder. Letby – held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey – had called him her “best friend” and “love” in notes found at her home, and the pair swapped more than 1,300 Facebook messages. The deaths occurred between 2015 and 2016 Credit: Getty The killer nurse has twice failed to appeal her convictions Credit: SWNS The doctor – referred to as Doctor A in court due to reporting restrictions – had been ill before his death and his funeral has been held. Cheshire Police, which has faced criticism over its handling of the case, refused to provide usual details after the registrar’s death. And a listing for his death appeared to have been removed from the coroner’s website. It is understood the doctor struggled with work issues following Letby’s August 2023 conviction. Most read in The Sun Letby continues to claim her innocence A court sketch of Letby during her trial at Manchester Crown Court Credit: PA He worked with Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital at the time of her killing spree between June 2015 and June 2016 and supported her after she was moved from the neonatal unit amid fears over infant deaths. Prosecutors referred to the medic as her “boyfriend” and said she was infatuated with him – suggesting he had provided a level of motivation for her crimes. They alleged she created crisis situations by attacking babies, knowing he would be bleeped and dash to attend. Letby denied being “in love” with the doctor and insisted they were “trusted” friends. The charges Letby has been convicted of in full Child A, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby injected air intravenously into the bloodstream of the baby boy. COUNT 1 GUILTY. Child B, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby attempted to murder the baby girl, the twin sister of Child A, by injecting air into her bloodstream. COUNT 2 GUILTY. Child C, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said Letby forced air down a feeding tube and into the stomach of the baby boy. COUNT 3 GUILTY. Child D, allegation of murder. The Crown said air was injected intravenously into the baby girl. COUNT 4 GUILTY. Child E, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby murdered the twin baby boy with an injection of air into the bloodstream and also deliberately caused bleeding to the infant. COUNT 5 GUILTY. Child F, allegation of attempted murder. Letby was said by prosecutors to have poisoned the twin brother of Child E with insulin. COUNT 6 GUILTY. Child I, allegation of murder. The prosecution said Letby killed the baby girl at the fourth attempt and had given her air and overfed her with milk. COUNT 12 GUILTY. Child K, allegation of attempted murder. The prosecution said Letby compromised the baby girl as she deliberately dislodged a breathing tube. COUNT 14 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT AT ORIGINAL TRIAL, NOW GUILTY AFTER RETRIAL Child L, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said the nurse poisoned the twin baby boy with insulin. COUNT 15 GUILTY. Child M, allegation of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby injected air into the bloodstream of Child L’s twin brother. COUNT 16 GUILTY. Child N, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby inflicted trauma in the baby boy’s throat and also injected him with air in the bloodstream. COUNT 17 GUILTY, COUNT 18 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT, COUNT 19 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child O, allegation of murder. Prosecutors say Letby attacked the triplet boy by injecting him with air, overfeeding him with milk and inflicting trauma to his liver with “severe force”. COUNT 20 GUILTY. Child P, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said the nurse targeted the triplet brother of Child O by overfeeding him with milk, injecting air and dislodging his breathing tube. COUNT 21 GUILTY. Child Q, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby injected the baby boy with liquid, and possibly air, down his feeding tube. COUNT 22 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT But she called him “sweetie” in messages and broke down in tears when he entered the dock to give evidence against her. When he gave evidence, the doctor did so from behind a screen to protect his anonymity. At the later Thirlwall Inquiry in 2024, the doctor said he had been “misled” and “maybe manipulated” by Letby. He said he had been tricked by her into giving her information about babies she had attacked. Lady Justice Thirlwall, who led an inquiry into possible failings at Countess of Chester Credit: PA Letby during her police interview in 2018 Credit: Derbyshire Constabulary He added: “I wasn’t aware of the full clinical picture and I provided support by being misled and maybe manipulated, and for that I’m really sorry. “I have a lot of regrets about how that period of time took place.”Letby is serving a whole-life tariff but maintains her innocence over the deaths of babies in 2015 and 2016. She was found guilty of of murdering seven and attempting to kill seven more, one twice. Letby lost two bids in 2024 to challenge her convictions. But the Criminal Cases Review Commission is considering evidence presented by a panel of doctors claiming that natural causes and poor care were to blame. A spokesperson for Sodexo, which runs Bronzefield, did not comment.