DOCTORS and nurses who worked with baby killer Lucy Letby must be stripped of anonymity in the public inquiry into her crimes, experts say.
The medics are being allowed to keep their names secret under a legal order from the nurse’s murder trial.
But they have been branded cowardly amid calls for the veil of secrecy to be lifted at the forthcoming Thirlwall Inquiry.
Leading barrister Geoffrey Robertson KC told the Sun on Sunday that the lifelong anonymity orders betrayed the public who deserved to know how Letby was allowed to kill at the Countess of Chester hospital.
He said: “Professionals, especially doctors and nurses, must be accountable just like policemen and politicians. They must not be allowed to hide behind anonymity.
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“This is cowardly and contrary to the public interest.
“Open justice is the principle that makes British courts the best in the world and judges should be more vigilant in protecting it.”
Former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland MP backed the use of anonymity orders to protect the vulnerable but also insisted: “The principle of open justice has to be central to proceedings and that gate must be jealously guarded.”
Inquiry documents show it is committed to maintaining the orders, which are rarely granted to adult witnesses in court cases.
The doctors and nurses said they were needed to spare them the stress of giving evidence and social media and press scrutiny.
Letby, found guilty of seven murders and six attempted murders, is serving a whole life term.
Her appeal against her sentence was thrown out this week.