An academic has sparked a furious debate after suggesting Lucy Letby got away with murdering seven babies because she is a white woman.

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, who regularly appears as a media commentator, claimed the nurse's race meant complaints against her were not taken seriously.

She tweeted: 'Lucy Letby exemplifies how ideology of Whiteness keeps Britain in a chokehold. They believed her tears/denials even though evidence said otherwise for no other reason than she's White.

'A Black or Brown nurse would've been reported to the police immediately & sacked for suspicion.'

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu claimed the nurse's race meant complaints against her were not taken seriously

The tweet was shared on Monday, when Letby was handed an unprecedented 14 whole-life orders for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more.

Dr Shola's post generated particular controversy, with Mail columnist Nana Akua tweeting: 'It seems ''Dr.'' Shola will stoop to any level to race bait… And she's wrong. In fact if anything, as with the Rotherham child abuse scandal, had Lucy Letby been black or brown, they would've been afraid to report her for fear of being called racist..'

The architect Ike Ijeh accused her of 'force-feeding identity into infanticide'.

Meanwhile, Tom Slater - writing on Spiked - pointed out that several of the doctors who raised the alarm about Letby were also white, including head consultant Dr Stephen Brearey.

Dr Shola doubled down on her comments in the face of intense criticism, writing: 'I’m deeply regretful to those I’ve offended re my post on Lucy Letby. Pls accept my regret at your lack of critical thinking skills, poor reading comprehension & being a despicable human who’s more outraged at truth of Whiteness ideology than at a baby murderer. Stay offended.'

Dr Shola's post generated particular controversy, with Mail columnist Nana Akua among those criticising her

Dr Shola doubled down on her comments in the face of intense criticism. Academic Wasiq Wasiq responded by calling her comments 'despicable'

Responding to her post, academic Wasiq Wasiq called the comment 'despicable'.

Bosses at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been heavily criticised for failing to stop the nurse's killing spree.

At least two babies died and more were harmed because executives refused to listen or to believe a member of staff was to blame.

Yesterday, senior consultant Dr Stephen Brearey - who tried to blow the whistle on Letby - called for regulation of NHS executives to make them accountable for their decisions.

And last night the parents whose newborn son was killed and his twin poisoned by Letby accused the hospital of 'a total fob-off' when they pleaded for answers.

Solicitor Richard Scorer, of law firm Slater and Gordon which represents the parents of Child E and Child F, told the Guardian the couple felt they had failed to receive a proper response to their concerns.