Grim Lucy Letby plan for every stage of killer's life until death behind bars
Before to her arrest, Lucy Letby lived in a comfortable three-bed property near the lively Cathedral city of Chester. Shifts as a neonatal nurse played out alongside an active social calendar filled with salsa classes, holidays and drinks with colleagues. The rest of the 33-year-old's life will, of course, make for a stark contrast, with the serial killer nurse set to spend the rest of her days in a high-security prison, without any hope of release.
Letby, who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more, will reportedly serve out her whole-life order at HMP Low Newton, a maximum security prison near Durham that houses fellow serial killer Joanna Dennehy. Going forward, Letby won't have much say in how her life behind bars unfolds, but there will be plans in place for each grim stage.
Letby will reportedly serve out her time at HMP Low Newton (HMP Low Newton / BEEM)A solitary existence
According to experts, Letby will be given "restricted status", a status regarded as the female equivalent of a Category A prisoner, which signifies that she poses the most serious threat to the public. It's expected that it will be some time before Letby will be integrated with her fellow inmates and that she'll initially be on suicide watch for a number of months.
After spending the first part of her sentence in the hospital wing, Letby will be moved to her own cell - standard practice for convicted murderers facing decades of time ahead. It's expected Letby won't have much in the way of human interaction due to the high risk of being targeted by other dangerous prisoners.
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Speaking with the Telegraph, Professor Yvonne Jewkes, professor of criminology at the University of Bath, revealed: "She'll associate mostly with prison officers, her key worker in the prison, and one or two cleaners, but much of that interaction will be through the hatch in her cell door."
It's understood that Letby will spend at least 22 hours each day inside her cell and be allowed to walk around the prison yard for one hour. A prisoner is usually allowed a one-hour visit from loved ones every four weeks, so she'll likely still keep in regular contact with her parents, and the friends who have continued to protest her innocence.
Privileges after time has passed
Although her life will be far from luxurious, it's believed that, after some time has passed, Letby will be afforded some privileges, including increased leisure time and participation in social groups. It's understood that even the notorious killer Rose West, who previously served time at Low Newton before being transferred, has been allowed to take part in prison book clubs and baking contests.
At Low Newton, inmates are also given opportunities to personalise their cells, go clothes shopping at the prison's Rags to Riches store, and even pet animals. According to an Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) report: "Prisoners have had access to these animals, often with the most challenging of prisoners giving good results in feedback surveys, which have shown that this initiative has had a calming effect."
Letby may enjoy some privileges in time, including clothes shopping at Rags to Riches (HMP Low Newton / BEEM)Keeping busy with work and education
Letby, who studied nursing at the University of Chester, could have the opportunity to pursue further qualifications through the Open University, with staff at the facility keen to keep inmates busy. According to the UK government website, on top of basic numeracy and literacy classes, Low Newton also offers more advanced courses and vocational training programmes, including hairdressing, IT, and call centre operations. Inmates can also reportedly enrol on a number of part-time courses including cookery, art, gardening, fashion, and beauty.
In terms of employment, there are opportunities for inmates to take on responsibilities, for example, as orderlies in the gym or at the reception desk, while some prisoners may even find work placements within the community beyond the prison walls. It's highly unlikely that this will be the case for Letby however, given the severity and notoriety of her crimes.
Chartered security professional James Bore, the director of family consultancy Bores, has advised that it's "unlikely at best" that Letby will take up a job behind bars. Bore told the Mirror: "There are options available to prisoners with less than two years to serve to be released on temporary license, but she's not going to have less than two years to serve and again there's a risk assessment involved. It might be that at some point she's deemed low enough risk to mix with the general population and attend workshops, but I can't imagine that would be any time soon if at all.
He added: "While segregated she will be under escort at any time outside her cell, and not permitted to mix with the population of the prison. That will also most likely exclude her from any workshops or similar activities."
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Attending parents' funerals
Letby's "doting" parents Susan and John supported their only child throughout her trial, maintaining her innocence while attending every single one of her court hearings. It can be assumed that, in the event of their deaths, Letby would want to be allowed out of prison to say her final goodbyes at their funerals. Even the Kray twins were allowed to attend their mother's funeral in 1982. Such a request may prove rather complicated, however in this particular case, due to the security risks involved.
Bore explained: "Any day release for parents' funerals, or anything else, would be based on a risk assessment. I find it extremely unlikely that any sort of temporary release would be granted - for her own safety as much as anything else. Currently, she's being segregated within Low Newton, again to prevent her from being attacked. Social media rumours saying that she's been attacked already are misinformation."
Death in lower-security prison
It's thought that Letby could eventually be transferred to a lower security prison to live out her final days later on in life, but it's expected she'll remain a maximum-security prisoner for at least the next 20 years.
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