Lucy Letby trial: Nurse went dancing after alleged murder bid, jury told

Lucy Letby is accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill 10 others

Nurse Lucy Letby went salsa dancing the night after she allegedly tried to murder a baby boy, a court has heard.

Manchester Crown Court was told Ms Letby allegedly tried to poison the boy with insulin less than a day after she was said to have killed his brother.

The jury was also told she later messaged a colleague to say something was "not right" about the infant.

She denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The court heard the heart rate of the boy, named only as Child F for legal reasons, surged and his blood sugars dropped dangerously low after an intravenous feed started shortly after midnight on 4 August 2015.

The jury was told that his parents were "keen" to have him moved from the hospital earlier in the day after the death of their son, named as Child E, on the previous night shift, but no transport was available.

'A bit more stable'

A number of messages between Ms Letby, who is originally from Hereford, and her colleagues at the hospital's neonatal unit were read to the court.

In one, sent at the end of the shift in which she was said to have poisoned Child F, she said she was concerned about his low blood sugars, adding: "Something is not right … he's a worry."

The court heard that she then messaged another colleague on the evening of 5 August to ask if she was "going to salsa tonite? (sic)"

After her colleague replied, saying that she would meet her, Ms Letby sent an OK emoji and wrote: "Need to try and find some post nites (sic) energy."

She later received a message from the first colleague, who was at the Chester hospital, who told her that Child F was "a bit more stable" and medics were "trying various tests to try to find answers".

The nurse worked on the neonatal ward at Countess of Chester Hospital

Ms Letby then thanked her for the message, to which the colleague replied: "He's defo better tho (sic). Looks well, handling fine."

The nurse replied later that she felt "better now I've been out".

The court was told Child F recovered over a few days, but his twin brother, who was born a minute earlier, died after air was allegedly injected into his bloodstream by Ms Letby.

A court order bans the reporting of the identities of the children allegedly attacked by Ms Letby, while identifying parents or witnesses connected with the children is also banned.

The trial continues.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]