Lucy Letby: Nurse accused of baby murders cleared of one charge

Lucy Letby, who is being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, appeared via videolink for the hearing

A nurse accused of multiple baby murders has had a not guilty verdict recorded for one of the charges.

Lucy Letby was initially charged with murdering five boys and three girls at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Nick Johnson, QC, said the prosecution was offering no evidence on one of the counts of murder during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.

The 32-year-old denies all of the charges against her.

Ms Letby is alleged to have killed the babies while working on the neonatal unit at the hospital.

She appeared in court via video link from HMP Bronzefield, speaking only to confirm her name, during an 80-minute hearing which dealt with matters ahead of her trial which cannot be reported.

Mr Justice Goss formally directed a verdict of not guilty be recorded for one of the murder counts.

Around a dozen parents of the children involved sat in the public gallery watching proceedings.

Ms Letby denies the murder of five baby boys and two baby girls and the attempted murder of five baby boys and five baby girls.

The defendant, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, was remanded into custody to appear for a further pre-trial hearing on 29 July.

Her trial, estimated to last up to six months at Manchester Crown Court, is scheduled to begin on 4 October.

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