Jurors in the trial of an NHS nurse accused of murdering seven vulnerable babies in a neonatal hospital unit have retired to consider their verdict.
Lucy Letby, 32, allegedly injected her victims with air or poisoned them with insulin while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and 2016.
She is also accused of attempting to murder another 10 babies, several of which had been born prematurely or had complex health needs.
Post-it notes discovered at Letby’s home address (CPS/PA)— (PA Media)
Following a series of “unexplained and inexplicable” deaths on the unit, suspicions mounted against Letby and hospital bosses reallocated her to clerical duties in July 2016.
Cheshire Police were contacted in mid-2017 to conduct their own investigation, with Letby eventually arrested at her home address in July 2018.
Over the past nine months, jurors have listened to 246 witnesses give evidence with the prosecution alleging that Letby was the “constant malevolent presence” when things took a turn for the worse for the babies.
While Letby’s name was first mentioned by consultants following the sudden deaths of three babies in June 2015, she remained on the unit for a further 12 months.
Jurors heard that following her arrest, police discovered a number of Post-it notes in which she had written ‘I AM EVIL I DID THIS’ and ‘I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough’.
Her defence lawyer claimed ‘suboptimal care’ at the hospital was responsible (PA)— (PA Wire)
However, her defence lawyer, Benjamin Myers KC, argued that these were the “anguished outpouring of a young woman in fear and despair”, rather than any form of confession. Other notes included the words ‘kill me’ and ‘I haven’t done anything wrong’.
Letby also repeatedly searched for the families of her alleged victims on social media and kept pictures of a sympathy card she had written to the parents of Child I, who the prosecution claimed she killed with an injection of air.
Handover papers and medical notes relating to a number of the babies under her care were also discovered in bags at her property.
Mr Myers told jurors that the hospital had provided “suboptimal care” towards their patients, with frequent staff shortages and raw sewage regurgitating itself in sinks. During her cross-examination, Letby also claimed that a “conspiracy” had been mounted against her by a number of senior consultants to cover hospital shortcomings.
Jurors were shown pictures of a sympathy card she sent to the parents of an alleged victim (Cheshire Constabulary/CPS/PA)— (PA Media)
In his closing speech, her defence barrister said the evidence against her was “incomplete, inconsistent or absent” and said seven of the babies were all victims of “serial failures of care”.
Prior to her arrest, Letby had worked as a nurse since qualifying in 2011, with former colleagues confirming that she had remained “professional” and “hardworking” throughout her time of employment.
Myers claimed Letby was a dedicated nurse who had cared for hundreds of babies. “She suddenly didn’t change her behaviour in 2015,” he said. “What changed was the babies on the unit and the inability of this unit to cope.”
Both Letby’s parents and the families of the 17 babies involved have attended the trial at Manchester Crown Court.
