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Lucy Letby’s bond with Beinash Batool, one of Britain’s most hated female child murderers, speaks volumes about how she feels really about her horrific crimes, an expert says
Lucy Letby is ‘reinforcing her self-image as a victim’ by buddying up with Sara Sharif’s evil stepmum, a psychologist says.
The former NHS nurse, 34, was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven more between 2015 and 2016 at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby was handed her 15th whole-life term last year for attempting to murder a baby girl. Now, she is spending her days at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, where she has struck up a friendship with a notorious prisoner.
It was previously reported that the serial killer had befriended Beinash Batool, who tortured and murdered her stepdaughter, 10-year-old Sara Sharif. The schoolgirl was subjected to unspeakable violence for years at the hands of her father, Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother Batool, 30. After she was jailed for life, Batool became chillingly close with Letby.
Earlier this week, the Mirror’s prison insider revealed their bond has grown stronger, saying: “She’s best friends with that Beinash.” The pair, who were spotted giggling and playing cards, have both managed to bag prime jobs on HouseBlock Four with Letby running the laundry and Batool in the kitchens.
Speaking from inside the prison, the fellow inmate, who has asked us to protect their identity for fear of reprisals, told the Mirror: “Letby’s just odd, she has a weird look, when she think someone is looking at her, she’s staring at people, then she’s best friends with that Beinash which isn’t helping her at all, because everyone knows she’s guilty, guilty, guilty.”
Criminologist and psychologist Alex Iszatt believes Letby is clinging to whoever will accept her and doesn’t feel the weight of her crimes. She said their jail friendship is driven by a need for connection, validation and survival. “While it may seem inevitable that two convicted child killers would bond, their relationship speaks volumes about Letby’s psyche and Batool’s pragmatic survival strategies,” Alex told the Mirror.
Letby previously struck up a chilling bond with baby poisoner Michelle Smith and Shauna Hoare, who played a role in the tragic killing of schoolgirl Becky Watts in 2015, while on remand at Bronzefield. Her history of forming friendships with other notorious criminals shows her “consistent need for companionship”, Alex said, even in an environment where relationships are “often forged for survival rather than emotional support”.
“Letby, who has denied her crimes, seeks companionship from those who won’t challenge her self-perception, which reflects a deeper desire for validation,” Alex said. “Her connection to Batool is telling in this regard: their crimes are vastly different, with Letby’s medical killings and Batool’s torture of her stepdaughter being almost diametrically opposed.”
But driven by the need for acceptance, much like an outcast, Letby “clings to whoever will accept her”, Alex explained. “This bond reinforces Letby’s self-image as a victim of the system rather than someone who has truly reckoned with the gravity of her actions.” Even more intriguing is Letby’s psychological response to her situation behind bars, Alex noted.
“Unlike other high-profile criminals who retreat in isolation – such as Beverley Allitt, who was reportedly withdrawn in the face of her crimes – Letby remains socially engaged, playing cards and chatting with Batool in a seemingly normal way. This suggests that Letby doesn’t feel the full weight of her crimes or, if she does, is using this social engagement as a way to distance herself from the emotional burden of her actions,” she explained.
Letby has tried to appeal her convictions and fight the guilty verdicts, and Batool is currently appealing her sentence to challenge the severity of her punishment. “This shared legal battle creates a mutual purpose between the two women,” the psychologist said. “In this way, Batool may see the relationship with Letby as reinforcing her self-image as a victim, aligning herself with someone else who is fighting against the system.”
For Letby, her bond with Batool could be a “form of emotional escape”, but for Batool, the friendship might driven by a need for survival, Alex said. “Child killers are despised in prison and women convicted of such crimes are especially isolated. Batool, who tortured her stepdaughter, is unlikely to have any maternal allies in prison, making Letby – another child killer – her only viable companion,” Alex explained. “The power dynamics in this relationship add another layer of complexity.
“Letby, who is reportedly awkward and eager to please, might be easy to manipulate, particularly by someone like Batool, who has demonstrated an ability to deceive and manipulate others. Batool’s capacity for manipulation is evident from her role in covering up Sara Sharif’s prolonged abuse. She may view Letby as a convenient ally—someone who could provide companionship, distraction, or even protection.”
The insight comes as lawyers representing Letby have announced they have “significant new medical evidence” and have applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to investigate her case as a possible miscarriage of justice. Retired neonatal expert Dr Shoo Lee – who co-authored a 1989 academic paper on air embolism in babies which featured prominently in Letby’s 10-month trial – claimed: “In summary then, ladies and gentlemen, we did not find murders. In all cases, death or injury were due to natural causes or just bad medical care.”
