Nurse Lucy Letby tells trial she 'thought about killing herself' after being accused of murdering babies

A nurse accused of multiple murders and attempted murders of babies has entered the witness box for the first time during her trial. Lucy Letby was today questioned in court, seven months on from the start of proceedings at Manchester Crown Court.

The 33-year-old is alleged to have murdered five boys and two girls, and attempted to murder another five boys and five girls, between June 2015 and June 2016. Letby, from Hereford, denies all the allegations.

It is alleged that Letby used various means to target the infants, including injections of air into their system and insulin poisoning. The prosecution says the nurse was a “constant malevolent presence” in their care at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital.

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On Tuesday morning (May 2), Letby, wearing a black top and black trousers, walked from the dock and across the courtroom to answer the allegations as her defence case started. Several rows behind, her parents, John Letby, 76, and Susan Letby, 62, looked on – as did family members of the alleged victims on the other side of the public gallery.

A court order prohibits reporting of the identities of surviving and deceased children allegedly attacked by Letby, and prohibits identifying parents or witnesses connected with the children.

Letby's barrister, Ben Myers KC, asked her: “Over the period of 2015 and 2016 we are looking at the babies on this indictment, could you put a figure on the number of babies you cared for in that period?” Letby told the court: “It would be hundreds.”

Mr Myers asked: “Did you care for them?”, to which Letby replied: “Yes.” Asked if she ever wanted to hurt any of them, she said: “No, that’s completely