Lucy Letby: Her Conviction, Sentence and the Ongoing Review
Last reviewed: June 2026. Details can change — check current news for the latest position.
In short: former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby was convicted in 2023 (with a further conviction at a 2024 retrial) of murdering and attempting to murder babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and was given whole-life orders, meaning she will never be released. She is reported to be held at HMP Bronzefield. Her convictions currently stand. As of 2026 the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is reviewing the case following submissions from her defence and some experts who dispute the medical evidence, but no referral to the Court of Appeal has been made and no court has reopened the case.
The convictions
Letby was convicted in August 2023 of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder others, with a further attempted-murder conviction at a retrial in 2024. She received whole-life orders — one of very few women in UK history to receive such a sentence — and is detained indefinitely.
The review and the controversy
Since the convictions, some clinicians and statisticians have publicly questioned the evidence, and her defence has applied to the CCRC — the independent body that can refer possible miscarriages of justice back to the Court of Appeal. In a February 2026 statement the CCRC confirmed a review was underway and stressed its decisions are evidence-based and impartial. A separate public inquiry (the Thirlwall Inquiry) into the hospital events is finalising its report.
| Status | Position (2026) |
|---|---|
| Convictions | Stand — not overturned |
| Sentence | Whole-life orders (no release) |
| CCRC review | Underway; no Court of Appeal referral yet |
Important to keep neutral and accurate
- She remains convicted; the courts, not the CCRC, decide guilt or innocence.
- A CCRC review is not a finding of innocence and does not overturn a conviction.
- Expert criticisms of the evidence have not been tested or accepted by any court.
- Her reported prison is widely cited in the press but not officially confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lucy Letby still in prison?
Yes — she is serving whole-life orders and her convictions stand.
Is her case being appealed?
The CCRC is reviewing it as of 2026, but it has not been referred back to the Court of Appeal.
Which prison is she in?
She is reported to be held at HMP Bronzefield, though prisoner locations are not officially confirmed.
Related
See whole-life orders explained and the CCRC and appeals. Sources: CCRC statement (Feb 2026), CPS, and the Thirlwall Inquiry.
