Lucy Letby case: Relying on expert doctors in criminal medical cases can lead to injustice

Professor Amel Alghrani
A photo of Lucy Letby taken in police custody.

The Lucy Letby case is the latest in a number of UK criminal medical cases that, beyond the rights and wrongs of each verdict, raises serious questions around how such cases are tried – especially when the evidence is limited, complex and circumstantial.

These cases often rely heavily on expert witnesses, whose testimony is crucial yet can be open to interpretation.