May 2026: Thirlwall Inquiry report delayed to at least September 2026 · six-baby inquests relisted to 2027 · CCRC review active · Shoo Lee Panel: no medical evidence of deliberate harm.
Shortly after Operation Hummingbird opens in May 2017, Dr Dewi Evans approaches Cheshire Police offering his services as a neonatal expert before being formally instructed. The self-referral pattern — rather than independent blinded sourcing of an expert — became a central point of post-conviction scrutiny: Dr Evans went on to be the lead causation expert for most counts at trial, and his methodology has since been comprehensively rejected by the 14-member Shoo Lee International Expert Panel. Approximate date within June 2017.
Source: Operation Hummingbird page; Thirlwall Inquiry evidence (Nigel Wenham); hummingbird-scope-decisions analysis