NHS boss in charge of hospital where evil Lucy Letby murdered seven babies quit a month after she was arrested – before moving to south France for a life of luxury with £1.8m pension pot and villa with a pool – as families demand he faces a public inquiry

The parents of a baby killed by Lucy Letby slammed a hospital boss who worked there when she planned to kill, claiming he was given a ‘get out of jail free’ card after retiring to a luxury home in the South of France with a Pension Pot of £1.8 million.

Ian Harvey, former medical director of Countess of Chester Hospital, is one of many hospital bosses accused of failing to heed senior advisers’ warnings about Letby and sudden deaths and collapses in the neonatal unit.

Now the parents of a defenseless baby have told Mirror: “Retiring should not be a way to get out of prison without any restriction to distance yourself from his negligence.”

They added that they are calling for a legal public inquiry into Letby’s crimes so that they “get the answers we deserve” – as police launch further inquiries into newborns in Letby’s care.

Harvey, 65, took early retirement in 2018, shortly after Letby’s arrest, and moved with his wife to the south of France, where they share a luxury home with its own swimming pool and stables.

Lucy Letby, 33, (pictured) will be the subject of an inquiry, which will examine how she got away with her crimes for so long

Mr. Harvey and his wife now live in a luxury farmhouse in the south of France

A former colleague of the £175,000-a-year director told the newspaper that Mr Harvey’s hand was ‘forced’ by paediatricians who, after several warnings were ignored, threatened to call the police themselves if he didn’t.

They added that when asked if he thought there would be an investigation following Letby’s arrest, he said, “They should find me first.” He then moved 1300 kilometers away to the Dordogne region.

Letby became Britain’s most prolific child serial killer after she was sentenced on Monday to 14 life sentences for the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others – one of whom she tried to kill twice.

Mr Harvey, who has since said the advisers he is accused of ignoring did not act on their concerns, now lives in a farm with extensive outbuildings and several acres of land in the peace and tranquility of the countryside.

A friend of Mr. Harvey’s told the Sun he had disappeared from the area since last Sunday, and neighbors added that he had never discussed the matter or his involvement with them.

One of them said: ‘I had heard about the case but didn’t realize its connection until I read about it last week. He never mentioned it.

“It’s a sad story for everyone involved, especially the parents of the kids. Hopefully an investigation can give them answers.’

Social media suggests they spend their time tending to their animals, entertaining family, enjoying restaurants and taking weekend breaks in five-star hotels

Lucy Letby, pictured, was found to have killed seven children and tried to kill another six children

Mr Harvey and his second wife, Lesa, 63, sold their £400,000 house in the Cheshire village of Malpas when they left for the Dordogne, where they look after rescue horses.

Social media suggests they spend their time tending to their animals, entertaining family, enjoying restaurants and taking weekend breaks in five-star hotels. But what should have been a peaceful retirement was marred by the Letby scandal.

The GMC carried out a ‘full investigation’ into Mr Harvey over four years, contacted the police and obtained an independent expert report. According to a spokesman, the GMC ‘thoroughly examined all relevant information’ before concluding last year that the case had not reached the threshold for referral to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

However, parents of a baby killed by Letby claimed they were ‘totally fobbed off’ by Mr Harvey when they begged for answers about what happened to their child.

Mr Harvey said he would have wanted to give ‘detailed and accurate answers’ to the parents but ‘once the police got involved we were advised by them not to do or say anything that could jeopardize the investigation ‘.

But attorney Richard Scorer, head of assault and public investigations at Slater and Gordon, which acts for two families, claims the parents contacted him several months before police were called.

Mr. Scorer, Head of Abuse and Public Investigations at Slater and Gordon, said: ‘Our clients have received a series of anonymous letters from Harvey that contain no proper explanation or clarification.

“In the letters they were invited to contact Harvey for further clarification and they repeatedly tried to contact him, but despite many attempts to reach him, they never received a reply.

Our customers describe his response as a ‘total rip off’.

“It appears that Harvey had little interest in communicating any meaningful information to the parents, responding appropriately to their concerns, or fulfilling any duty of disclosure to them.

“In our view, this failure to address parental concerns was embarrassing and another matter that should be investigated through a legal inquiry with the power to coerce witnesses and the production of documents.”

Mr Harvey told MailOnline that he supports a public inquiry and intends to participate fully in it.

He said: “I am prepared to give due account and I will personally attend the public inquiry.

“I will make a full, open and honest contribution. I will do everything I can to help parents get the answers they deserve.”

The £175,000 a year medical boss was accused of fobbing off the victims’ parents. He is now involved in a bitter war of words with other hospital directors and senior doctors over who is to blame for failing to stop the murderous nurse.

The Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby went on a gruesome killing spree between June 2015 and 2016

Ian Harvey receives a retirement gift in July 2018

Regarding the allegations that he had ignored doctors’ concerns, he added: ‘It is alleged that the pediatricians informed me of their concerns in February 2016, but a meeting was not organized until May 2016. I don’t remember any such message.

“It is surprising, given the concern some paediatricians claimed to have had at the time, that there was no follow-up action to get a response, either from my secretary or from me.”

Cheshire Police announced this week that they will examine records of 4,000 babies admitted during her tenure as a nurse under Operation Hummingbird, the year-long investigation that led to Letby’s conviction.

A source close to the investigation has claimed that notes of a dozen babies who inexplicably collapsed in the hospital have been passed on to experts.

All of the babies survived their close calls and none were involved in Letby’s trial, which concluded last week after jurors heard 10 months’ worth of traumatic evidence related to the nurse’s heinous crimes.

Letby committed her murders and attempts on the lives of babies between June 2015 and June 2016 while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

However, between October and December 2012 and January and February 2015, she also trained at Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

Admissions at both hospitals are being considered by detectives as part of Operation Hummingbird, which is now said to be in a ‘second phase’ after Letby’s convictions were secured.

WATCH THE MAIL’S LUCY LETBY DOCUMENTARY IN FULL HERE