Lucy Letby trial jury retires to consider verdict

The jury has gone out to consider its verdict in the retrial of Lucy Letby

The jury in the retrial of nurse Lucy Letby for the attempted murder of a baby girl has retired to consider its verdict.

Manchester Crown Court has heard the 34-year-old was convicted in August 2023 of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.

A verdict on an attempted murder allegation concerning an infant known as Baby K could not be reached, and a retrial was ordered on that single count.

Letby, originally of Hereford, denies the charge.

The trial has heard Letby allegedly targeted Baby K in the early hours of 17 February 2016 after the infant was moved from a delivery room to the hospital's neonatal unit shortly after her premature birth.

The prosecution has alleged Letby deliberately interfered with the baby’s breathing tube.

Letby told the jury of six women and six men she had no recollection of any such event.

She also denied doing anything harmful to Baby K and added that she did not commit any of the offences of which she has been convicted.

The child was transferred to a specialist hospital later on 17 February because of her extreme prematurity.

She died there three days later, although the prosecution does not allege that Letby caused her death.