Nine hospital employees cannot be recognized, and none of the 17 babies participating in the research have been given names.
 |
| Lucy Letby trial |
Victims and witnesses in Lucy Letby's trial were subjected to degrees of press confidentiality uncommon outside of cases involving questions of national security.
Due to reporting constraints, the media was unable to name any of the 17 infants who were charged as well as nine of the medical professionals who worked with Letby on the neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester hospital.
A judge, Mrs. Justice Steyn, issued an injunction prohibiting the publication of anything that could identify the sole live children until they turn 18 years old two years before the trial started.
These kids, who were either born in 2015 or 2016, were now between the ages of six and eight. Some of them had severe disabilities, in part, the prosecution said, because of Letby's deeds.
The ruling further forbade the release of information that would enable the parents to be recognized as witnesses in the proceedings, including the deceased infants' surnames.
In most cases, a judge cannot prevent the identities of deceased children from being published. James Bulger, Victoria Climbié, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, and many other child murder victims came to public attention in this way.
However, because of the sibling groups and the fact that their parents would be testifying, the nature of the order in this instance prevented publication of the identities of the deceased children.
Three sets of twins and one set of triplets were among the 17 infants.
All of the children's parents gave the court witness statements outlining their requests for their family to remain nameless. Some people wanted the limits to cover more information than just names and addresses, such as the release of information about their employment, ethnicities or nationalities, health conditions, and the circumstances surrounding the conception, gestation, and birth of their children.
A group of media organizations, including the BBC and the Guardian, contended that if such extensive limits were put in place, it would be difficult to cover the case accurately.
Steyn concurred in part, saying that while it was relevant that one of the parents involved worked as a general practitioner given their knowledge of medicine, it was not in and of itself an identifying characteristic. She had similar views on nationality and ethnicity.
The judge also permitted media reports that the triplets were naturally born and identical, reasoning that it was doubtful that this information would help identify the live triplet or their parents.
Despite Steyn's decision allowing the media to report the babies' first names, media organizations decided it would be best to withhold the names of the children involved in the case. To prevent identification, a letter from A to Q was given to each infant. They received chronological names.
A number of Letby's hospital coworkers, some but not all of whom worked with her in Chester and were called as prosecution witnesses, were likewise prohibited from being named by the media. Regardless of how upsetting their testimony may be, adult witnesses can typically be named. They are given anonymity only infrequently, possibly if a judge thinks their lives might be in danger.
In the Letby case, the coworkers contended in court-received witness statements that they would not be able to provide their best testimony if they knew their identities would be made public. Some of them were Letby's pals, and one of them was a doctor she allegedly had a thing for.
The judge ultimately took their side, concluding that it was more crucial for them to present credible evidence than it was for the media to be able to identify them.
Letby, the worst child serial killer in contemporary British history, was convicted guilty of killing seven babies and trying to kill six more.
Post a Comment