Dr. Mark Deakin, a married paediatric consultant previously granted anonymity during the trial of nurse Lucy Letby, has been named following the lifting of reporting restrictions after his death in July 2026. Deakin, 53, died nine days after being found unconscious in his car near his Cheshire home on June 24, a day following his dismissal from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool for gross misconduct.
Deakin had worked alongside Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the period—between June 2015 and June 2016—in which she was later convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven others. Throughout that time, Deakin and Letby exchanged over 1,300 Facebook messages discussing the clinical conditions of patients, including details about premature infants under Letby’s care. In one notable exchange, Letby inquired about the condition of an infant she was convicted of attempting to murder, referred to as Child N or Baby N. Deakin replied, “Oh Lucy, poor little thing. I am sure he has had the best care possible and you will have done everything you could for him.”
Following Letby’s removal from frontline neonatal nursing duties in July 2016 amid suspicions over a series of baby deaths, Deakin supported her grievance claim against the hospital’s decision and arranged multiple “observational visits” for Letby to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in late 2016 while he worked there as a locum consultant. An investigation later found that Deakin had accessed Baby N’s confidential medical records inappropriately and maintained a close relationship with Letby, despite likely knowing about concerns raised by colleagues regarding her connection to the deaths.
Deakin attended a disciplinary hearing in June 2026, which was the culmination of an 18-month probe by Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust. He admitted breaching patient confidentiality but denied awareness of Letby being under suspicion when he arranged her visits to Alder Hey. The panel dismissed his explanations and dismissed him for gross misconduct on June 23. The day after his sacking, Deakin was discovered unconscious and taken to hospital, where he remained until his death on July 3. An inquest into his death is expected to be opened, and the case has been referred to the Cheshire coroner.
During Letby’s trial at Manchester Crown Court, Deakin gave evidence under a screen as a protected witness. Prosecutors suggested that Letby was infatuated with Deakin, describing him as her “boyfriend,” and argued she had harmed babies in part to maintain their connection. Handwritten notes found at Letby’s home contained terms of endearment such as “love” and “my best friend,” although Letby denied a romantic relationship, insisting they were close friends and colleagues. She broke down in tears and attempted to leave the dock when Deakin took the witness stand. Deakin himself later stated at an inquiry that he had felt “misled” and “manipulated” by Letby, describing his involvement as a “massive mistake.”
Since Letby’s convictions, some have questioned the evidence, suggesting the deaths might have been due to systemic failures in hospital care rather than deliberate harm. The Criminal Cases Review Commission is currently reviewing the case, with some experts advocating for the possibility of a miscarriage of justice.
The Court of Appeal’s decision to lift the anonymity order for Deakin cited principles of open justice and the media’s right to report on court proceedings following his death. The ruling acknowledged his family’s representations while noting that the justification for anonymity no longer applied. Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust has remained neutral on the decision.