Doctor colleague of child serial killer Lucy Letby named

Letby. Credit: Cheshire Constabulary

By Kim Pilling, PA Media

A doctor colleague “crush” of child serial killer nurse Lucy Letby can be named as reporting restrictions were lifted following his death two months ago.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Mark Deakin, 53, was granted lifelong anonymity ahead of giving evidence in Letby’s trial, where she was convicted of a string of murders and attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Letby, 36, broke down in tears and tried to exit the dock when the married father-of-two entered the witness box and answered questions from behind a screen.

The then-junior doctor swapped numerous messages with Letby when they worked together at the Countess of Chester.

A fellow nurse teased her about “flirting” with Dr Deakin, whom Letby called “sweetie” in text exchanges, the court heard. His name appeared repeatedly on scrawled notes found at Letby’s home address following her arrest, including several references to “love was all we needed”.