Complaint
In the introduction to an item about proposed new penalties for individuals who refuse to attend court for sentencing, reference was made to, among others, Lucy Letby who was described as a “serial child killer”. A listener objected to her inclusion on the list and to the presenter’s description of her, as it was their belief that she was wrongly convicted. The ECU considered the complaint against the standards for accuracy set out in the BBC Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The question of Ms Letby’s guilt was determined in court and permission to appeal her sentence has not been granted. In these circumstances there was no breach of the BBC’s standards of accuracy in referring to her as a serial child killer. The ECU noted the campaign in support of Ms Letby has been covered elsewhere on Today and the BBC more widely.
Not Upheld