ARMED with signs yelling ‘no babies were murdered', Lucy Letby fans stormed a Wetherspoons pub.
Convinced the is innocent and the subject of a “witch-hunt” – they filed into the pub to share their conspiracy theories after a day on the street protesting against her convictions.
They had been at a rally outside Liverpool's Town Hall on March 17 – protesting as .
The inquiry is looking into events that took place at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby committed her heartless crimes.
Supporters travelled from far and wide to show their support for the 35-year-old nurse – who is serving a life sentence for
The inquiry results are expected to be published in the autumn, with many of the convicted murderer's fans – who met online via Facebook groups – believing it'll prove to be a toothless box-ticking exercise.
Their reasons for supporting Letby are often unclear, with many online claiming they've always known she was innocent but offering little by way of explanation.
Others have harboured a more warped fascination with the case and Letby herself which has led to odd declarations of love, sexual fantasies, themed speed dating – and talk of pilgrimages to her old home.
One demonstrator estimated at least 80 people had attended the Liverpool protest, and told Flying Eze: “It was an interesting experience, both joyful and disturbing.”
WETHERSPOONS MEET-UP
At The Captain Alexander Wetherspoons pub on James Street, the group claim they were attacked by other punters who were clearly disturbed by their cause.
Pro-Letby demonstrator Cally Starforth, who was at the pub, claimed in her blog there were “undercover agents” – which she suggested could have been employed by the – sent to “infiltrate” the demonstration and the pub.
She said she was “kicked”, verbally abused and told she should be “ashamed”.
Fellow Letby sympathiser Professor Richard Gill was also at the Spoons, and told Flying Eze: “Some big hefty guys started kicking the placards and shouting abuse.”
He said staff seemed to side with the aggressors and “forced several of us out of the pub”.
A spokesperson said the pub was busier than normal due to it being St Patrick's Day, and the protesters were asked to clear space and move their placards, which led to an argument.
As a result, several were asked to leave.
They added: “Wetherspoon supports the right to peaceful protest, but visible signage of any type within a pub can be a sensitive issue and we would ask them not to bring their placards into the pub should they wish to visit again.”
BIRTHDAY PARTY AND SPEED DATING
It wouldn't be the first time a boozer has drawn a line when confronted with Letby fans.
Members for Letby in January after which bizarre suggestions were made for a on Valentine's Day.
The birthday party was held at the Windmill pub in Clapham Common and featured banners and a cake which had “Lucy 35” written in icing on top.
The speed dating was supposed to be held there too, but a spokesperson for Youngs, which operates the family boozer, told Flying Eze any attempts to book such an event will be blocked.
They added that staff were not aware of the nature of the birthday party when it was green lit.
PERVERTED FANTASIES
Sickeningly, other Facebook groups, including the now defunct ‘Pervert$ unite to support Lucy Letby', previously saw members gushing over their love for her.
The sick group – which had 226 members in November 2023, soon before it was shut down – saw people speak openly about their infatuation for her.
It had devolved from a page simply called Lucy Letby Support Page.
The name itself appeared to be satirical – altered by an administrator who then distanced themselves from the page.
The group bio was changed to: “She did it you dumb f***s so stop w****** over a baby killers pics.”
One member said: “I had a dream last night, Lucy used restraints on me & proceeded to abuse me, it was very pleasant.”
And another said: “In womens' prisons are the inmates allowed to wear thongs…?
“Do the lady inmates have to wear paper knickers like the residents do in my mother's nursing home?”
These dark obsessions with the murderer make it easy to see why many of her supporters are automatically met with disdain.
Prof Gill, who lives in the Netherlands, likely travelled the furthest to attend the protest last month – and is one of those with the most clout in terms of a legitimate case for a potential appeal.
A statistical misrepresentation consultant who has helped free two other nurses wrongly convicted of murdering patients, Lucia de Berk and Daniela Poggiali, he has even explained how he believes
And last month revealed amid his attempts to campaign for their daughter's freedom.
He now hopes to meet Letby in person, as he did with nurse de Berk, who was jailed for life in 2003 after being found guilty of the murders of seven patients and the attempted murders of another three.
He also visited Poggiali, who was accused of killing 38 patients before being exonerated, and Ben Geen, a former Brit nurse who was convicted of killing two patients at a hospital in Banbury.
“They were all three extremely moving experiences,”; he recalls.
“I treasured those experiences. They further confirmed my already strong suspicion they were innocent.”
PILGRIMAGES TO LETBY'S HOME
In the meantime, the professor has travelled to Letby's former hometown of Chester.
He told Flying Eze: “I saw the town, I walked the city walls. You can see the mountains of Wales in the distance. It’s beautiful and interesting.”
He also plans to go back, this time to visit the street where Letby lived, and do the short 20-minute walk to the Countess of Chester Hospital where she worked in 2015 and 2016.
He says: “The next time I’m in Chester I’d like to visit the street where Lucy lived and walk from there to the hospital.
“I already visited the hospital. These are not pilgrimages. It’s about getting a feeling for the people involved in the story.”
He’s not the only one said to have a fascination with retracing Letby’s old life.
Previous reports have suggested other supporters of Letby have been organising ‘tours’ of her old haunts, including gathering outside her old home in Chester.
However, from speaking to neighbours, it appears if such pilgrimages are taking place they are not so widespread.
Prof Gill said: “These are not pilgrimages. It's about getting a feeling for the people involved in the story.
“It's about the biggest miscarriage in the UK since the Liverpool Six. I've been following it since 2017. Been deeply involved in it.”
He said Letby's case, like those he has helped overturn, “follow the same playbook”.
“They all start with a failing hospital unit and a paranoid doctor.
“Then add bad statistics and confirmation bias. Moral outrage, emotion, suspension of critical facilities. Bounty hunter ‘experts'.”
And perhaps Letby's fans just enjoy getting together with like-minded people.
Ms Starforth's said in her blog: “It was great to meet some of the lovely people I have only interacted with online before.”
And later added: “I suppose I get fed up with always doing stuff alone, so I decided to go with the others to socialise a bit.”
