The former NHS nurse was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others

Serial killer Lucy Letby has been branded “beyond redemption” and is expected to remain a “target” in prison for life, according to insights from a former prison officer. The ex-NHS nurse, who was recently convicted of another newborn’s attempted murder, received her 15th whole-life term on July 5.

She had previously been found guilty of killing seven babies and attempting to murder six others between 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Now 34, Letby was first jailed in August 2023. Retired prison governor Vanessa Frake, with nearly three decades of experience, including observing notorious inmates such as Beverley Allitt, Myra Hindley, and Rose West, commented on Letby’s current predicament.

Ms Frake told the Mirror: “I think her regime will be the same after her latest conviction – she’ll probably still be on suicide watch, away from the general population of the prison, with other like-minded prisoners. Anything Letby wants, with regard to education or leaving the wing, will have to be risk-assessed and all visitors will be scrutinised. They will be keeping an eye on her without a doubt.”

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It’s understood that Letby is currently in the privately-run HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, having previously spent time in HMP Low Newton in Durham. Regardless of where she serves her sentence, as a Category A prisoner, Ms Frake anticipates violent attempts on Letby’s life by fellow inmates.

She said: “You’ve got the likes of serial killer Joanna Dennehy behind bars who murders for fun. She’d have no hesitation in trying to have a pop at Lucy Letby, or others for that matter. Women who have had children, who are carers and nurturers, will see the likes of Letby as lower than low.

“You can bet they know she is in their jail – they may not know where, but they will have read papers and seen her on TV, and they will know exactly what she looks like. It will be the staff’s job to protect her from that.”

Regarding Letby’s future, Ms Frake said: “I imagine she will be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her time.” Reports suggest Letby formed a chilling bond with two dangerous inmates while on remand at Bronzefield – baby poisoner Michelle Smith and Shauna Hoare, who was involved in the tragic killing of schoolgirl Becky Watts in 2015. Ms Frake said this close friendship isn’t unusual – and won’t likely be her last.

She added: “It is very common for like-minded prisoners, like child killers, to form friendships with each other. I’ve seen it many times. They have this pull towards each other.”

While Letby is likely to find allies in prison, she will also be a target for attacks. She said: “Prisoners are very good at making weapons out of just about anything. Worse than boiling water is boiling water with sugar (known as prison napalm) because that sticks to the skin and is very difficult to peel off. I’ve seen prisoners slashed with two razor blades melted into a toothbrush, stabbings with shanks made from plastic cutlery and pool balls and batteries in socks.”

Ms Frake, who spent 27 years working in prisons and was head of security and operations at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, said the most powerful inmates control their wing and negotiate for the use of a mobile phone or protection. She said: “Those that offer the protection set the price. When they could smoke in prison, they would name their price – whether it be half an ounce of tobacco or a Mars bar.”

Today, there are half as many staff managing the same number of prisoners, but Ms Frake said “it’s as safe as it can be”. She added: “There is quite a lot of violence these days in prison because we have quite a violent society. There seems to be a lot of stabbings, guns, shootings and gangs – and that spills into prison.

“If you have those people on the outside and they get arrested, you’ve got that violence inside,” suggesting that violence around Letby will be unavoidable. When Letby nears the end of her sentence, she may be transferred to a prison that caters for older inmates. After reaching 66, she will no longer be required to work.

Ms Frake said “In prison, you have to work until you reach the legal pension age, then you don’t have to work anymore.” The former neonatal nurse’s whole-life order signifies she will spend the rest of her life in prison, with her passing not being significantly acknowledged by the prison service.

She said: “If Letby’s parents are still alive when she passes away they will have input into her funeral arrangements. But it wouldn’t be a grand affair as the prison service wouldn’t want that. Anyone who dies in prison, whether from natural causes or suicide, undergoes a post-mortem. The coroner will then release the body to the family.”

The decision on what arrangements are made will fall to her dad John, currently 73, and mother Susan, 63, or her next of kin. Until then, Letby will be compelled to reflect on her crimes annually. Ms Frake said: “As a life sentence prisoner, every six to 12 months, she will have a report written about her by a staff member. They will question her about her offending behaviour and crimes.”

Regarding her treatment by prison officers, Ms Frake said they would refrain from judgement and treat all convicts equally, she added: “My job was never to judge. Prisoners are judged by the courts and their peers. If they come into prison convicted with a warrant, that’s good enough for me.”

Ms Frake, author of ‘The Governor’, added: “I have never made assumptions about someone’s innocence. That’s not my job. I’ve seen some prisoners go through the appeal process and get released.”

Regarding Letby, Ms Frake is of the opinion the convicted serial killer should remain incarcerated for public safety. Despite the former neonatal nurse’s denials in court asserting she is “not the sort of person that kills babies”, Ms Frake sees no prospect for redemption.

She said: “Letby has been found guilty and she is in prison to keep society safe. She will spend the rest of her days in jail and that will give some closure to the families of her victims. I presume they will try and understand why – but until Letby admits the guilt, and explains to those families why she did what she did, I can’t see much redemption there.”