A public inquiry has heard that a judge has denied claims he gave legal advice to hospital executives over concerns about nurse Lucy Letby due to his Freemason membership.
The Thirlwall Inquiry, investigating the circumstances surrounding Letby's crimes, was informed that both Judge Simon Medland KC and Stephen Cross, the former director of corporate and legal services at the Countess of Chester, are members of the Freemasons.
In April 2017, Mr Cross, a former officer with Cheshire Constabulary, engaged then criminal barrister Mr Medland on behalf of the hospital, at a point when the police had not yet been involved despite paediatric consultants expressing fears 10 months prior that the neonatal nurse could be killing babies.
Earlier this week, the inquiry heard "rumours and hearsay" regarding a potential Freemason link involving "a number of high-ranking people in the hospital and elsewhere".