Inquest into death of Lucy Letby’s ‘boyfriend’ opens

The death of a doctor referred to as the “boyfriend” of serial killer Lucy Letby at her trial was possibly “unnatural”, an inquest has heard.

Dr Mark Deakin, 53, from Winsford, Cheshire, was found collapsed in his car on 24 June and was rushed to hospital where he died nine days later.

Deakin worked alongside Letby, now 36, at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the period in which she murdered seven babies and attempted to murder seven others in 2015 and 2016.

Senior Coroner for Cheshire Jacqueline Devonish scheduled a full inquest for next February.

Coroner’s officer Amanda Edgar said an inquest was being held “due to there being reason to suspect that the circumstances of Dr Deakin’s death are unnatural”.

On 23 June, Cheshire Police received a call raising concerns for Deakin, who is orginally from Torquay.

He was found in ill-health in his car the next day and was taken to hospital, “where he sadly died on 3 July”, Edgar told the inquest.