Nurse Lucy Letby, who was previously sentenced to a whole life order for the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others, will face a retrial on an outstanding allegation that she attempted to murder a baby girl. This decision was made after the jury in her trial at Manchester Crown Court last month was unable to reach verdicts on six counts of attempted murder related to five children.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced on Monday its intention to pursue a retrial for Letby on the charge of attempting to murder a baby girl known as Child K. The alleged incident is said to have occurred in February 2016.
A provisional trial date has been set for June 10, 2024, at the same court. The retrial is expected to last between two to three weeks.
During the recent court hearing, Lucy Letby participated via videolink from a conference room at HMP New Hall in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. She was seated behind a desk and only confirmed her name and ability to see and hear the proceedings.
Letby’s case has garnered significant attention due to the shocking nature of the allegations. Her previous conviction on multiple charges related to the deaths and attempted murders of infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in 2015 and 2016 has raised concerns and led to further scrutiny of neonatal care practices.
The forthcoming retrial will focus on the specific allegation of attempting to murder Child K, with legal proceedings set to unfold in the coming months as both the prosecution and defense present their cases once more.
Lucy Letby was sentenced to a whole life order after she was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others
