Lucy Letby, a nurse accused of attempted murder, has denied intentionally harming a baby girl to mislead her colleagues. The trial at Manchester Crown Court centers around an incident involving Child K, which occurred during Letby’s night shift at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in February 2016.
Letby was previously convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others between June 2015 and June 2016. However, the verdict on the allegation related to Child K remained inconclusive, leading to a retrial.
Prosecutors claim that Letby deliberately dislodged Child K’s breathing tube and was caught by consultant paediatrician Dr. Ravi Jayaram. Letby denies harming the infant.
During cross-examination, Letby refuted accusations of attempted murder and created a false impression that Child K was self-dislodging her tube. She acknowledged that Child K received morphine but maintained that the sedation wouldn’t prevent movement.
The trial also revealed that Letby allegedly interfered with replacement tubes to cover her actions. A portable X-ray confirmed the tube’s correct position, but Child K later desaturated again. Letby’s involvement remains contested.
The case continues as Letby defends her actions, stressing that she never intended harm to the baby in her care.
