header-logo header-logo

Calling your expert: stick or twist?

20 September 2024 / Mark Solon
Issue: 8086 / Categories: Opinion , Criminal , In Court , Expert Witness
printer mail-detail
189734
Lucy Letby’s defence team’s decision not to call their experts to the stand highlights the potential benefits & risks of oral testimony, says Mark Solon

The trial of Lucy Letby and the recent Court of Appeal’s rejection of her application for leave to appeal against her convictions raises issues of expert witness credibility, independence and expertise (the full judgment can be accessed at R v Letby [2024] EWCA Crim 748). The matter has generated many conspiracy theories as to Letby’s guilt and some of these are based on the fact that although the defence had instructed expert witnesses to produce reports, they were not called to give oral evidence. Let us look at why the defence may not have called their experts, although we do not know what those reasons actually were.

Grounds & response

The applicant’s grounds of appeal included that the trial judge was wrong not to direct the jury to disregard the evidence of the main prosecution expert witness, Dr Evans, and to reject the

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Chronic delays, duplication of work, cancelled hearings and inefficiencies in the family law courts are letting children and victims of domestic abuse down, a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry has found
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
back-to-top-scroll