What Lucy Letby is *really* like as a person, in the words of five people who know her

The Lucy Letby case is back in conversation once again, as Netflix has released a documentary film all about it. Currently, Letby is serving life in prison, and has been told her cell is where she will die. But, friends have said they think she’s innocent, and others have spoken out about what Lucy Letby is really like as a person.

Former nurse Lucy Letby is serving 15 whole-life sentences, after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others. The deaths took place at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. Letby pleaded not guilty during her trial, and repeated “not guilty” 18 times at Manchester Crown Court as charges against her were read out.

Now, the Netflix documentary questions her guilt and the evidence used in her trial. A friend featured in the Netflix doc, who is still in contact with Letby through letters from jail, has said she still believes her friend is innocent. A further childhood friend said: “I grew up with Lucy and not a single thing that I’ve ever seen or witnessed of Lucy would let me for a moment believe she is capable of the things she’s accused of.”

In 2023, Channel 4 spoke to people who knew Lucy Letby, and they also shared their insight into what she is really like.

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‘She was operating in plain sight because she was so normal’

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“Manipulative. Without a shadow of a doubt very cunning,” one said. “Someone who just betrayed every aspect of the confidence that was put in her by the NHS, by her colleagues.” They later added: “People just could not rationalise how a nurse could be living with that extent of betrayal… perverting her skills. Weaponising the tools that she used.” They also said she is “self-centred” and “narcissistic”.

Dr John Gibbs explained that he interacted with Letby like he did with many other nurses he worked with. “She seemed keen,” he said. “She was fairly conscientious. She was quiet.”

A police officer who met her described her as “beige” and added: “She had a normal friendship group, a family. She had a normal social life. Everything you expect somebody in their 20s to do. She used that normality, and the trust that she obtained through that, as a cover for the crimes she committed. Which is really hard to put those two things together, and accept that somebody had committed those crimes, but there isn’t something outrageous about them. Actually, she was operating in plain sight because she was so normal.”

Another officer described her crimes as “horrible, horrific and evil” and said they are “the worst crimes I’ve had the displeasure of investigating in 28 years of service.” He added he “witnessed evil” when he met Lucy Letby.

But, a friend of Letby’s strongly disagrees with any negatives. Dawn described her friend as “kind” and “gentle”, and said she thinks due to her caring nature, there’s absolutely no way Letby is capable of murdering babies, as she has been convicted of. “It is the most out-of-character accusation that you could ever put against Lucy. Think of your most kind, gentle, soft friend and think that they’re being accused of harming babies,” she said.

The Investigation of Lucy Letby is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.