THE doctor whose work was used to put Lucy Letby behind bars has blasted the prosecution’s main method of murder as “scientific nonsense”.
World-leading baby expert Dr Shoo Lee has previously explained all the deaths and insisted the explanations are clear for any trained medic to see.
But after his research was recently criticised, he hit back at the “flawed” science prosecutors relied on in court and said Lucy Letby should be freed.
It comes as the Criminal Cases Review Commission continue to review the case in the convicted nurses’ last bid for freedom.
Canadian supremo Lee added: “The convictions are based on scientific nonsense.
“The explanations are clearly there to see. These babies died from natural causes or sub-optimal care.”
He added: “We are still absolutely clear – there were no murders, no intentional harm. We have not changed our minds.”
Letby prosecutors told a court the neonatal nurse killed six of her seven tiny victims by injecting air into their veins.
The condition – known as air embolism – is notoriously difficult to diagnose, but main prosecution witness Dr Dewi Evans relied on reports of a rash as proof.
He based his thinking on a 1989 paper co-authored by Shoo Lee – who first found a rash could indicate embolism – a phenomenon known as ‘the Lee sign’.
The relevance of the rash as been debated for years – since Letby’s trial in 2023.
But Shoo no insists all the discussion is “a distraction”.
He said: “There are robust, rationale explanations for how these babies died – the rash is meaningless in this context.
“That said, I stand by all of my findings and anyone who checks exactly what I said – and which research I relied on to help show my point will see we are correct.”
Shoo has revealed for the first time medics only disagreed on the causes of death of two babies they reviewed but insisted there was full agreement
The medic insists his team’s findings would have been made public regardless of whether they benefitted or harmed the Letby case.
After he was criticised by a UK medic online last week Dr Lee insisted he “welcomes” challenges to his work – but insists other experts should simply call him.
Shoo said: “I welcome people challenging me – but if any expert is confused about something or wants to challenge my credibility they should show me some respect and pick up the phone. Call me.”
He added: “The International panel is made up of 15 of the best experts in the world – leaders in their fields, including prominent British medics.
“They are all working for free and we all agreed we would have published our findings whether they were pro-prosecution or favoured Lucy Letby.”
Dr Lee was called to give evidence at Letby’s first appeal – but was stunned when his clear opinion had to be dismissed.
Under UK law any evidence that was feasibly available at the time can not be relied on for an appeal.
Baffled Dr Shoo then assembled a group of neonatologists and paediatric experts to analyse each of the 17 deaths and found there was no medical evidence to suggest they were murdered.
The report forms a crucial part of a dossier currently being reviewed by the CCRC.
After the International Panel revealed their findings in an explosive press conference last year, one parent of a baby boy killed by Letby called the review a “publicity stunt”.
The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, called the panel “so disrespectful”.
“It is very upsetting,” she added.
Letby is serving 15 whole-life sentences for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others in her care at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
