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A retired doctor who worked at the same hospital as Lucy Letby says questions must be asked about whether the killer nurse could have been stopped earlier.

Dr John Gibbs, a retired consultant paediatrician who worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital, also questioned why managers took 11 months to involve police when suspicions were raised.

It comes after Letby was on Friday found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six other infants at the hospital’s neonatal unit.

Asked if the 33-year-old could have been stopped earlier and lives could have been saved, Dr Gibbs told Sky News: “I think that needs to be looked into.

“Partly, could we have stopped Lucy Letby earlier? And I think some of the parents of the babies towards the end will be asking that.

A corridor within the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit. Pic: Cheshire Constabulary/CPS
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A corridor within the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit. Pic: Cheshire Constabulary/CPS

“But then, once we have realised, we had great concerns about Lucy Letby, and she was removed from the neonatal unit, why did it take 11 months for the police to then be called in?

“That is something that, we as paediatricians have to look at, but also the managers need to answer, why it took so long for the police to come in.”

Read more:
How the police caught Lucy Letby
More families told their children could be victims

Following the verdicts, the government said it would launch an inquiry into the killings.

“That would be very useful and lessons need to be learnt,” Dr Gibbs added.

It comes after Dr Ravi Jayaram – a consultant paediatrician at the hospital who gave evidence in Letby‘s court case – said there are “things that need to come out about why it took several months from concerns being raised to the top brass before any action was taken to protect babies”.

Dr Ravi Jayaram. Pic: Rex/ITV/Shutterstock
Image:
Dr Ravi Jayaram. Pic: Rex/ITV/Shutterstock

He also questioned why it took almost two years from when the first babies died for the hospital trust to contact the police.

Consultants first raised concerns about the nurse after three babies died in June 2015. As more babies collapsed and died, consultants held several meetings to raise their concerns about Letby.

Lucy Letby live updates: Jurors seen leaving court in tears

Writing on Facebook, Dr Jayaram said: “The truth of what happened during that time will shock you to the core as it comes out.

“The safety of patients should come above any risk of reputational damage and sometimes the right decisions might be difficult and unpopular, but executive-level managers are paid to do just that.

“There are people out there now, still earning six-figure sums of taxpayers’ money or retired with their gold-plated pensions, who need to stand up in public to explain why they did not want to listen and do the right thing, to acknowledge that their actions potentially facilitated a mass-murderer and to apologise to the families involved in all of this.

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“However, I suspect the response will be fudge and misinformation and it is now my mission moving forwards to make sure that they are held to account.”

Letby was eventually moved into a non-patient-facing role, after the collapse of a child.

Lucy Letby arrest
Image:
Lucy Letby pictured as she was arrested in 2018

Doctors were forced to apologise to Letby

Consultants, including Dr Jayaram, were also forced to apologise to Letby, according to ITV News.

In a letter to Letby seen by the broadcaster, the consultants felt pressured to write: “Dear Lucy, we would like to apologise for any inappropriate comments that may have been made during this difficult period. We are very sorry for the stress and upset that you have experienced in the last year.

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“Please be reassured that patient safety has been our absolute priority during this difficult time.”

Medical director at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Dr Nigel Scawn, said the whole trust was “deeply saddened and appalled” at Letby’s crimes.

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Chester Hospital ‘appalled’ by Letby’s crimes

“We are extremely sorry that these crimes were committed at our hospital, and our thoughts continue to be with all the families and loved ones of babies who came to harm or died.

“We cannot begin to understand what they have been through.”

He added: “Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services and I want to provide reassurance to every patient that may access our services that they can have confidence in the care that they will receive.”

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Unlicensed Botox-like injections spark outbreak of disease many doctors have never treated

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Unlicensed Botox-like injections spark outbreak of disease many doctors have never treated

A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.

Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.

She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.

Nicola Fairley
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Nicola Fairley

“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.

“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”

Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.

Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.

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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”

Nicola Fairley
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Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product

It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.

Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.

Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.

It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.

The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.

Botulism

The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.

The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.

There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.

But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.

Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.

Steven Land
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Dr Steven Land

‘It’s the Wild West’

Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.

He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.

“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.

“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.

“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”

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Botulism

Dr Land showed us messages that he says he gets on a weekly basis, from sellers trying to push him cheap, unlicensed products.

They advertise “limited time offers” and cheap bundles on toxins imported from overseas. He calls them “drug dealers”.

“They are preying on the lack of knowledge among non-medical practitioners,” he says.

Consultations on how to regulate the aesthetics industry have been ongoing for years – but so far, no changes have been introduced.

The UK government now says it does plan to regulate certain procedures, but it’s not said how it will do this, or when.

“What will it take?” Nicola says. “One of the women we were with did almost die – she had to be resuscitated.”

Nicola’s beautician has stopped responding to her messages, so she says she still has no idea what the product was “or how much of it is in me”.

She doesn’t know how long her symptoms will last, but just hopes she will eventually recover.

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Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

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'Immigration is killing Europe': Donald Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

Donald Trump has landed in Scotland for a four-day trip including high-level meetings – praising Sir Keir Starmer as “a good man” but calling illegal migration a “horrible invasion” that is “killing Europe”.

Crowds gathered at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire amid a major security operation for the US president’s visit.

Mr Trump told reporters: “I like your prime minister. He’s slightly more liberal than I am… but he’s a good man… he got a trade deal done. It’s a good deal for the UK.”

The pair are expected to discuss potential changes to the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month.

Trump left Air Force One to head to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf courses. Part of the trip will include the opening of another course in Aberdeenshire, billed as “the greatest 36 holes in golf”.

Trump supporters watch on as a plane carrying US President Donald Trump arrives at Prestwick Airport
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Trump supporters waved as Air Force One landed. Pic: PA

“There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best, probably the best course in the world. And I would say Aberdeen is right up there,” the US president said.

Sean Connery helped get me the [planning] permits. If it weren’t for Sean Connery, we wouldn’t have those great courses,” he added.

During the trip, President Trump will also hold discussions with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is keen to secure a trade deal with the US.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after he arrived at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, Friday, July 25, 2025.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Image:
Donald Trump spoke to reporters after landing at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire. Pic: AP

Mr Trump told reporters there was “a good 50-50 chance” of an agreement with the EU but added there were “maybe 20 different” sticking points.

EU diplomats say a deal could result in a broad 15% tariff on EU goods and half of the 30% Trump is threatening to impose by 1 August.

A motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump drives to Turnberry, in Minishant, Scotland, Britain, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Image:
He travelled to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf resorts, amid tight security. Pic: Reuters

The US president touched on illegal immigration and gave European leaders a stark warning.

“You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore. You got to get your act together,” he said.

“But you’re allowing it to happen to your countries and you got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe. Immigration is killing Europe.”

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What do Scots think of Trump visit?

He was also scathing about the installation of wind turbines across the continent.

“Stop the windmills. You’re ruining your countries,” he said. “It’s so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds.”

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Domestically, Mr Trump faces the biggest political crisis of his second term in office over his administration’s handling of files linked to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

He faced another round of questions after stepping off Air Force One.

“You’re making a big thing over something that’s not a big thing. I’m focused on making deals, not on conspiracy theories that you are,” he said.

Mr Trump added that “now’s not the time” to discuss a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s imprisoned accomplice.

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Trump in Scotland amid Epstein storm

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While the president’s visit did attract some enthusiastic flag-waving supporters at Prestwick Airport, he is also likely to trigger a number of protests, prompting Police Scotland to call in support from other forces in the UK.

The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations on Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries.

About 70% of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Mr Trump, while 18% have a positive opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found.

Mr Trump is staying at his Turnberry property on Scotland’s west coast this weekend, before travelling to Aberdeenshire on Monday, where he will open a second 18-hole course.

He is due to return to the UK in September for a state visit hosted by the King – the first world leader in modern times to undertake two UK state visits.

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‘Immigration is killing Europe’: Donald Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

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'Immigration is killing Europe': Donald Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

Donald Trump has landed in Scotland ahead of a four-day trip, which includes high-level meetings, praising Sir Keir Starmer as “a good man” but also calling illegal migration a “horrible invasion” that was “killing Europe”.

Crowds gathered at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire amid a major security operation for the US president’s visit.

Mr Trump told reporters: “I like your prime minister. He’s slightly more liberal than I am… but he’s a good man… he got a trade deal done. It’s a good deal for the UK.”

Trump latest: Donald Trump arrives in Scotland

The pair are expected to discuss potential changes to the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month.

Trump left Air Force One to head to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf courses. Part of the trip will include the opening of another course in Aberdeenshire, billed as “the greatest 36 holes in golf”.

Trump supporters watch on as a plane carrying US President Donald Trump arrives at Prestwick Airport
Image:
Trump supporters waved as Air Force One landed. Pic: PA

“There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best, probably the best course in the world. And I would say Aberdeen is right up there,” the US president said.

Sean Connery helped get me the [planning] permits. If it weren’t for Sean Connery, we wouldn’t have those great courses,” he added.

During the trip, President Trump will also hold discussions with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is keen to secure a trade deal with the US.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after he arrived at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, Friday, July 25, 2025.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Image:
Donald Trump spoke to reporters after landing at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire. Pic: AP

Mr Trump told reporters there was “a good 50-50 chance” of an agreement with the EU but added there were “maybe 20 different” sticking points.

EU diplomats say a deal could result in a broad 15% tariff on EU goods and half of the 30% Trump is threatening to impose by 1 August.

A motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump drives to Turnberry, in Minishant, Scotland, Britain, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Image:
He travelled to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf resorts, amid tight security. Pic: Reuters

The US president touched on illegal immigration and gave European leaders a stark warning.

“You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore. You got to get your act together,” he said.

“But you’re allowing it to happen to your countries and you got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe. Immigration is killing Europe,” he told reporters.

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What do Scots think of Trump visit?

He was also scathing about the installation of wind turbines across Europe.

“Stop the windmills. You’re ruining your countries,” he said. “It’s so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds.”

Read more from Sky News:
Epstein risks following Trump
Ghislaine Maxwell questioned
Epstein questions keep coming

Domestically, President Trump faces the biggest political crisis of his second term in office over his administration’s handling of files linked to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

He faced another round of questions after stepping off Air Force One. “You’re making a big thing over something that’s not a big thing. I’m focused on making deals, not on conspiracy theories that you are,” he said.

Mr Trump added that “now’s not the time” to discuss a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s imprisoned accomplice.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Trump in Scotland amid Epstein storm

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

While the president’s visit did attract some enthusiastic flag-waving supporters at Prestwick Airport, he is also likely to trigger a number of protests, prompting Police Scotland to call in support from other forces in the UK.

The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations on Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries.

About 70% of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Trump, while 18% have a positive opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found.

President Trump is staying at his Turnberry property on Scotland’s west coast this weekend, before travelling to Aberdeenshire on Monday, where he will open a second 18-hole course.

He is due to return to the UK in September for a state visit hosted by the King – the first world leader in modern times to undertake two UK state visits.

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