Letby seeks permission for conviction appeal

The former nurse was sentenced to 14 whole life terms last year

Lucy Letby is applying for permission to appeal against her convictions for the murder and attempted murder of babies in her care.

A panel of three judges at the Court of Appeal in London is considering the former nurse’s case.

The 34-year-old was handed 14 whole life terms last year.

She was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder a further six at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Second stage

Shortly after her trial ended in August, Letby applied for leave to appeal against her convictions.

She lost the first stage of the process, in which a single judge reviewed her arguments as a paper exercise.

Letby, originally of Hereford, now has the right to a second stage, which involves renewing her application before a panel of judges at a hearing at the Court of Appeal.

The nurse is attempting to challenge her convictions on four grounds, which involve arguments that the judge at her trial wrongly refused legal applications made during the case, which lasted for 10 months.

Separately to the appeal, Letby is due to be re-tried on one charge of attempted murder, which the jury at her trial was unable to decide on.

That re-trial is due to commence in June.

As a result, to avoid prejudice, the media will not be allowed to report the full detail of the appeal hearing at this stage.

A public inquiry into events at the Countess of Chester Hospital is also planned, and its first hearings are expected in the autumn.