Lucy Letby 'attacked nine babies just after their parents left', murder trial hears

Lucy Letby attacked nine of her alleged victims shortly after their parents left their cotsides, a court has been told. The nurse is on trial at Manchester Crown Court charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others.

Letby, who is accused of carrying out the attacks at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016, denies all the charges against her. She took to the stand to give evidence for the ninth day on Thursday, May 25.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC accused the nurse of taking the opportunity to harm the babies being treated at the hospital’s neonatal unit while their parents were away. Five of the children – Child C, Child E, Child I, Child O and Child P – all died on the unit, the court heard.

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Letby, 33, from Hereford, is accused of attacking one of the infants, a baby girl referred to as Child H, twice not long after her father left the nursery to go home. Mr Johnson suggested to the defendant: “(Child H’s father) leaving gave you the opportunity to sabotage (Child H), didn’t it?” Letby replied: “No.”

Mr Johnson said: “Just as in the cases of (Child B), (Child C), (Child E), (Child I), (Child M), (Child N), (Child O) and (Child P) – all children who deteriorated shortly after their parents left. Is that something you identified as an opportunity to attack the children?” Letby said: “No. I have never attacked any child.”

Mr Johnson reminded Letby of a statement to the court given by the father of Child H, who she allegedly tried to murder twice on successive night shifts in September 2015. Child H’s father said he left the unit with his mother-in-law before midnight on September 25 only to receive a phone call