Letby 'offered tips on getting away with murder'

Letby told a colleague she could help "cover up" a murder in a tongue-in-cheek WhatsApp exchange

Lucy Letby told a colleague she could offer her "tips" on how to get away with murder, the public inquiry into her crimes has heard.

Letby murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Union representative Hayley Griffiths became friends with Letby when the nurse was moved off the neonatal unit and given office duties in 2016 after doctors raised concerns that she might have been harming babies.

A letter which Letby's parents sent to hospital bosses claiming she was being scapegoated for failings at the hospital was also read to the inquiry.

The Thirlwall Inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall heard Letby and Ms Griffiths discussed the television drama, How to Get Away with Murder, in early 2017.

The WhatsApp exchange took place a year after the serial killer was moved to clerical duties but a year before she was first arrested.

The inquiry heard Ms Griffiths told Letby: "I’m currently watching a programme called how to get away with murder. I’m learning some good tips."

Letby replied: "I could have given you some tips x"

Susan and John Letby told hospital bosses in 2016 their daughter was "suffering inside" over the accusations

The inquiry heard Ms Griffiths went on: "I need someone to practice on to see if I can get away with it."

Letby said: "I can think of two people you could practice on and will help you cover it up x."

In another exchange, Letby texted Ms Griffiths about gifts which were sent to the office she worked in.

She wrote: "Flowers and fizz for me? How kind.".

Ms Griffiths replied: "You’re worth it my lovely criminal mastermind."

'So remorseful'

The pair were working at the time in the hospital’s risk and patient safety department where Ms Griffiths said "quite a lot of us" became friends with Letby.

Ms Griffiths said she had been aware of the concerns about the deaths and unexpected collapses of babies and a link to Letby since September 2016.

Shahram Sharghy, representing some of the families of Letby’s victims, asked whether she was "making light" of "most serious" accusations - which Ms Griffiths denied.

Mr Sharghy said: "Can you even begin to imagine and put yourself in the position of the families of the babies who were harmed when they see those messages?"

Ms Griffiths said: "I know … I am so remorseful."

Earlier, the witness told counsel to the inquiry, Rachel Langdale KC: "I truly and deeply regret having started that conservation… this is completely unprofessional, poor judgment on my behalf and completely insensitive.

"And for that, I can only apologise from the bottom of my heart."

The inquiry was also shown a letter that Letby’s parents - John and Susan Letby - sent to trust executives following the outcome of a grievance complaint that Letby submitted over her removal from the neonatal unit.

Lucy Letby was removed from clerical duties in July 2016 but police were not called to investigate for another year

The grievance was upheld in her favour and later led to hospital bosses demanding that the consultants apologise to her.

The Letbys wrote they were were "shocked to the core" when they first read the "sickening allegations" against their daughter.

"Our daughter has been to hell and back since July," they wrote.

"Can you imagine what it is like to know that colleagues are calling you a murderer?

“She has frequently said to us during the last four months, 'I wouldn’t hurt anything let alone a tiny baby'."

'Personal grudge'

The letter added: "It has broken our hearts especially as we live a hundred miles away and we are so proud of how Lucy has conducted herself and endured this nightmare.

"I have often said to Lucy, 'how do you keep going', and she says quite simply 'because I haven’t done anything wrong'."

Letby's parents said they feared for her health and could see she was "suffering inside".

They wrote: "When any organisation is in trouble it is the person at the top who is taken to task, not the person at the bottom."

They said that they believed the consultants had a "personal grudge" against Letby, which they were "at a loss" to understand.

“The overlying question that has kept us awake since the day this all started and no-one has come up with an answer is, 'why Lucy?'," they added.

Letby is serving 15 whole life sentences after a jury convicted her of seven counts of murder and eight of attempted murder, including two attempts against the same baby.

The inquiry continues.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.