Why it matters in the Letby case
Thirlwall is not part of the Letby criminal-appeal route. Its findings on hospital governance can feed into the public-interest discussion but the CCRC is the only statutory route to re-examine the convictions.
Legal explainer
Public inquiry vs criminal appeal — what's the difference?
A public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 examines events of public concern. It can make findings of fact about institutional conduct and recommend changes. It does not adjudicate criminal guilt and cannot itself overturn a criminal conviction.
Legal explanation1Court/official
Last updated
Prosecution position
The Thirlwall Inquiry was established to examine the institutional response at the Countess of Chester, on the basis that the convictions were sound.
Expert challenge / post-conviction reading
Sir David Davis MP argued in the Commons on 16 July 2026 that the Inquiry's terms of reference are too narrow. Health minister Preet Kaur Gill declined to widen them, telling the House that 'the point of the inquiry is not to rehearse Lucy Letby's trial; it is to focus on how people within the trust responded.'
What remains uncertain
That exchange is the clearest statement yet of the intended division of labour — the Inquiry examines the institutional response, the CCRC examines the convictions — with no mechanism connecting the two. It also means the Inquiry's final report will not address whether the convictions are safe.
Common questions
Can the Thirlwall Inquiry overturn a conviction?
No. A public inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 examines events of public concern and can make findings about institutional conduct. It does not adjudicate criminal guilt.
Is the Inquiry part of the appeal route?
No. The CCRC is the only statutory route to re-examine the convictions.
Were the terms of reference widened?
No. The Government declined to widen them in the Commons debate of 16 July 2026.
Will the final report say whether the convictions are safe?
No. That question is outside its remit by design, which is why the two processes run in parallel without connecting.
Related reading
Found an error or missing source? Send a correction with the page URL and supporting source.