Chester Hospital Senior Arrested for Perverting Justice

Cheshire Constabulary arrested a senior official from the Countess of Chester Hospital on suspicion of perverting the course of justice as part of an ongoing investigation into the hospital's handling of increased infant deaths linked to nurse Lucy Letby. The arrest occurred on Wednesday, April 22, when officers executed a search warrant at a property connected to Operation Duet, the probe examining potential corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter. The individual, who held a leadership role at the hospital during the relevant period, was released on bail pending further inquiries.

Letby, 35, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after her conviction at Manchester Crown Court for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016. The attacks took place on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby worked as a nurse. Methods included injecting air, overfeeding with milk, and interfering with medical equipment, according to trial evidence. The case drew widespread attention for the deliberate nature of the crimes and the hospital's delayed response to rising fatalities.