A shocking Lucy Letby fan group sharing bizarre fantasies about the convicted child murderer has emerged on Facebook. Public group 'Pervert$ unite to support Lucy Letby' - which now appears to have been taken down - had more than 200 members.
Many were convinced the killer nurse is innocent. The 33-year-old murdered seven infants and attempted to murder six others while she was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
The murderer was sentenced to a whole life order earlier this year. It means she will never be released from jail and makes her just the fourth woman in British history to receive this punishment.
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Letby is currently appealing her convictions while police have opened new investigations as they see whether she committed any other crimes. A variety of campaigns and groups have been launched, with members convinced Letby is the victim of a conspiracy or a miscarriage of justice.
The twisted name of the obsessive Facebook group appears to be a satire, MirrorOnline reports. One post read: "I believe her case to be the biggest miscarriage of justice in the UK ever. She is an innocent lady."
The post ended with an emoji surrounded by love hearts. Another person posted a photo of a card which read "Sending hugs" on the front and "Thinking of you" on the inside.
He said: "Let's show Lucy our support. I will send this card (and write a message) to Lucy." Alongside a photo of Letby posing near a Christmas tree, another post said: "Our Lucy in Festive Spirit... Bless her."
There have also been creepy comments left by members who appear to even sexually fantasise about Letby. When one person remarked that anyone from the press could see their comments, another said: "I would have no problem with my support being highlighted in the press... But of course that's not the case with other supporters."
In response, someone said: "You would happily be outed as a member of the perverts group who supports a serial killer? I bet your family would be so proud," before adding: "Lucy's parents can be proud of their beloved daughter. She is a good girl from a good home."
Tautvydas Sutkus, solicitor and counsellor-at-law, who works for Glow Bar London, told the Mirror such fan groups were the result of a 'deep-seated psychological pattern'. He added: "People are drawn to the abyss, the extreme outliers of human behaviour, because they represent the antithesis of social order, an order that, in its predictability, often fails to satisfy deeper, more complex emotional needs.
"These fan groups are more than mere collectives, they are microcosms where members can safely explore the 'whys' and 'hows' of actions that defy their moral compasses. It's a controlled descent into chaos." Professor Craig Jackson, Professor of Occupational Health Psychology at Birmingham City University, compared the group to the manhunt for and death of Raoul Moat in July 2010, which led to a Facebook page 'Raoul Moat RIP You Legend'.
It had about 80,000 members before being taken down. He said: "So, what we are seeing is nothing new in that respect, but social media allows cynical people, or those who are at least suspicious about the guilt or otherwise of high-profile offenders, to air their views - however unsavoury."
The Mirror contacted the 'Pervert$' group admin for comment. Facebook's parent company Meta did not respond to a request for comment.