Dr Mark Deakin named after anonymity order lifted

Dr. Mark Deakin, a consultant paediatrician once described in court as the "boyfriend" of convicted killer nurse Lucy Letby, has been publicly identified after a judge lifted a lifelong anonymity order following his death in July. The identification comes as the public inquiry into Letby's crimes prepares to publish its findings later this month. Lord Justice Singh granted an application by Associated Newspapers to remove the reporting restrictions that had shielded Deakin's identity throughout Letby's trial and the early stages of the Thirlwall inquiry. Until now, he had been referred to only as Dr. A. Deakin, a married father of two, died on July 3 at the age of 53. He was found collapsed in his car at a retail park approximately 20 miles from his Cheshire home and was admitted to intensive care but never regained consciousness. His death has been referred to the Cheshire Coroner's Court, and an inquest is expected to open. Deakin's dismissal from Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust for gross misconduct on June 23, just days before his collapse, is a central element of the background.