Local consultant’s evidence in Letby case called into question

A press conference yesterday hosted by MP Sir David Davis and retired medic Dr Shoo Lee revealed that no medical evidence was found to support malfeasance causing death or injury in the 17 infants involved in the Letby case.

While not named personally in the conference, second expert witness Dr Sandie Bohin, a consultant in Guernsey, along with prosecution expert witness Dr Dewi Evans, helped to secure the conviction of Letby, who is serving 15 whole life sentences in prison for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven more.

The new evidence revealed yesterday contradicted Dr Bohin and Dr Evans' testimony against Letby.

The pair relied on an 1989 academic paper to form their views on the case.

Co-author of the paper and conference host Dr Lee explained that his research on the effects of air embolisms and skin discolouration had been misinterpreted by those called in as experts by the prosecution, such as Dr Bohin and Dr Evans, and he made a distinction between air in veins and air in arteries.

‘In the cases where air was injected in the veins there was no cases of patchy discolouration,’ he said.

‘The notion that these babies can be diagnosed with air embolism because they collapsed and had these skin discolourations has no evidence in fact.’

Sark resident Roger Norwich, a medico-legal expert, previously submitted a complaint to the General Medical Council against Dr Evans and second witness Dr Bohin, for both failing to provide balanced, impartial views in court.

During the press conference, Dr Norwich told the panel that a group of doctors, including himself, had been very concerned about the quality of evidence that was given in the trial, hence the complaints.

The GMC refused to engage with the complaints, and he asked what this said about the regulation of the medical community and patient safety.

Professor of neonatal medicine Neena Modi responded to Dr Norwich that it would be advisable to give some consideration and scrutiny to the ways in which those giving expert advice at trials were assessed on competence, and that she had raised a similar point.

Dr Bohin was not named personally in the press conference, unlike Dr Evans, but she was named in the House of Commons last month by Sir David. He revealed that eight Guernsey families had taken their case against Dr Bohin to the GMC.

Dr Bohin had previously said that her opinion remained that the babies were stable prior to their collapse and that she could not agree with those suggesting that she misled the jury.

The new findings are likely to inform the basis of submissions to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The CCRC announced just moments before the conference that a preliminary application in relation to Letby’s case had been submitted and further submissions were anticipated.

‘It is not for the CCRC to determine innocence or guilt in a case, that’s a matter for the courts. It is for the CCRC to find, investigate and if appropriate, refer potential miscarriages of justice to the appellate courts when new evidence or new argument means there is a real possibility that a conviction will not be upheld, or a sentence reduced,’ said a spokesman.

MSG chairman Dr Steve Evans, defended Dr Bohin in a statement yesterday.

'To our knowledge, no complaints or concerns have been formally raised through any official channels about Dr Bohin’s involvement as an expert witness in the Letby trial. She has a long and esteemed reputation as an expert witness owing to her extensive years of exemplary medical service.'