Evil Lucy Letby is set to spend her second Christmas behind bars, giving her plenty of time to contemplate a failed bid by her legal team for a retrial.
The baby killer is currently serving 15 whole-life orders for murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven others while working as a neo-natal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital . The 34-year-old is currently held in HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Surrey, which caters for category A women prisoners - the most dangerous in the country.
The festive season means the Thirlwall Inquiry, which began in September to examine the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby attacked her tiny patients, is at a pause until January, when it will resume. Its findings are expected to be published in autumn next year.
Until then, Letby will stew behind bars. While most of the rest of the country can look forward to visits from friends and family to their homes, as well as the promise of presents and fine food, the disgraced nurse’s December 25 will be much the same as every other day.
Christmas behind bars can include special meals and activities, but prisoners are not allowed to receive presents. The best most can look forward to are small canteen goods and, perhaps, a phone call from a loved one.
It was previously reported Letby spends at least 22 hours a day inside her lonely cell. Her life of solitude will be filled with reading stories as she will be able to read newspapers, books, and watch TV, but not much else. For an hour a day, she will be able to exercise, walking the prison grounds.
A convicted prisoner is usually allowed at least two one-hour visits every four weeks. Letby won't be able to receive emails directly, but she can receive messages through the Email a Prisoner service. These are printed out and delivered by prison staff, with each email costing 40p from Letby's prison cash card.
There is no limit on the number of letters she can send and receive, however, although most are checked by prison staff - and there are probably few people who would relish receiving a card from the murderer.
Letby will have plenty of time to consider this week when her hopes for an appeal into her sentence were tarnished when a doctor said claims he changed his mind over the cause of death for three of Lucy Letby’s victims were “unsubstantiated” and “inaccurate”. Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans responded to the assertions of Letby’s barrister Mark McDonald, who said the prosecution’s lead medical witness had altered his views on how the infants had died at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit.
Mr McDonald told reporters he was immediately seeking permission from the Court of Appeal to relook at her case on the grounds that Dr Evans is “not a reliable expert” and the former nurse’s convictions for murder and attempted murder are unsafe. On Tuesday, Dr Evans said: “Mr Mark McDonald’s observations regarding my evidence is unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate.
“His method of presenting his information reflects clear prejudice and bias. I find his style most unedifying, most unprofessional. It’s highly disrespectful to the families of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby.”