THE lead investigator of the body reviewing Lucy Letby’s case appeared to praise the cop who put her behind bars at a lavish awards ceremony, it has emerged.
Former murder cop Shaun Edwards now heads up the investigations by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) – the group weighing up if Letby’s conviction may be unsafe.
Then Det Supt Edwards was at an awards ceremony just months after Letby’s second trial when Cheshire Police won Investigation Team of the Year for Operation Hummingbird.
At the same black-tie do Hummingbird-lead Det Supt Paul Hughes was crowned ‘National Senior Investigating Officer of the Year’ for putting Letby behind bars for 15 whole-life sentences.
In a post on X, impressed Edwards wrote: “Very well deserved. National SIO of the Year Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes from Cheshire Police.
“Has successfully led an extremely significant high profile complex investigation into the murders/attempted murders carried out by Lucy Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
“Has the admiration and respect of all his SIO peers from across the country.”
It is not known if Edwards currently has any involvement with reviewing the Letby case – but the investigations team are expected to have input.
A source said: “This raises clear questions over conflict of interest.
“So many questions now exist over the Letby case the role of the CCRC could be vital here.
“One way or another the head of investigations should have pulled himself out of any involvement.
“Hopefully that is what happened.”
The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) Awards 2024 was held at the Queens Hotel, in Leeds, Yorkshire.
The two men credited with running Hummingbird, Det Supt Paul Hughes Det Supt Simon Blackwell were both keynote speakers at the event where they talked other cops through the case.
Lucy Letby was convicted of killing seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016 and trying to kill seven more.
She has always denied the crimes – but was twice turned away from the Court of Appeal.
Her only remaining route to freedom or a retrial is via a referral from the CCRC.
Doubts over her convictions continue to swirl, including from the man who snared original Angel of Death Beverley Allitt.
Retired Det Supt Stuart Clifton revealed in The Sun his belief Lucy Letby is likely the victim of the “greatest miscarriage of justice this century.”
Lucy Letby’s barrister Mark McDonald declined to comment.
The Sun has approached the CCRC for comment.
