Lucy Letby: Trial date set for nurse accused of baby murders

Lucy Letby appeared in court via videolink from HMP Peterborough

A trial date has been set for a nurse accused of the murder of eight babies on a hospital neonatal unit.

Lucy Letby is due to stand trial on 4 July 2022 at Manchester Crown Court.

Ms Letby, 31, of Arran Avenue in Hereford, is alleged to have murdered the eight infants - five boys and three girls - while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The nurse is also accused of the attempted murder of five boys and five girls between June 2015 and June 2016.

Mr Justice Dove set the schedule for the trial, which is estimated to last for six months, during a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court earlier.

Ms Letby, who appeared via videolink from HMP Peterborough, spoke only to confirm that she could hear proceedings.

Police detectives and the families of the babies involved also watched the developments via videolink from Chester Crown Court.

Ms Letby was arrested in 2018 and again in 2019 as part of a police investigation at the hospital, which began in 2017.

She has yet to enter a plea to the charges.

A further pre-trial hearing will be held in October.