Letby ‘boyfriend’ doctor named as court order lifted
Dr Mark Deakin, a consultant at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, has been publicly identified as the doctor described as Lucy Letby’s “boyfriend” during her murder trial, after a court order preventing his naming was lifted.
Who is Dr Mark Deakin?
Deakin worked as a consultant at Alder Hey at the time Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016. His identity had been protected by a court-imposed anonymity order since the trial, which drew intense national and international attention. But that order has now been discharged, allowing journalists to report his name for the first time.
During Letby’s trial at Manchester Crown Court, jurors heard that the pair had exchanged messages and that Deakin was considered a significant figure in her personal life. He was not accused of any wrongdoing and has not been charged with any offence.
The anonymity order and why it was lifted
The original order was granted to protect Deakin’s privacy and, lawyers argued at the time, to avoid prejudicing the fairness of proceedings. Courts can impose such restrictions under a range of legal powers, including section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981. But media organisations challenged the order, arguing there was a significant public interest in identifying individuals who featured in one of Britain’s most high-profile criminal trials in decades.
It’s understood the order was reviewed and the judge concluded that the grounds for continued anonymity no longer held. A legal source close to the case said: “The court was satisfied that the public interest in open justice outweighed the individual’s right to privacy at this stage.”
Letby’s conviction and its aftermath
Letby, 34, was sentenced to a whole-life order in August 2023 after being found guilty at Manchester Crown Court. She remains one of the few women in England and Wales to receive that sentence, meaning she will never be released.
Since her conviction, a public inquiry chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall has been examining how hospital managers and executives at the Countess of Chester responded to concerns raised by doctors about Letby — and why action wasn’t taken sooner. The inquiry heard evidence from more than 100 witnesses and its final report is expected to make recommendations that could reshape how NHS institutions handle internal whistleblowing.
What comes next
Deakin has not made any public statement since the order was lifted. Alder Hey declined to comment on the specifics of the situation but said it cooperated fully with all relevant legal processes.
The naming of Deakin is likely to renew scrutiny of the relationships and professional networks surrounding Letby during the period she was killing infants in the neonatal unit. With the Thirlwall Inquiry’s report still pending, pressure on NHS leadership to deliver answers to bereaved families won’t ease anytime soon.
