Lucy Letby: Doctor denies turning off baby monitor, trial hears

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

A doctor has denied claims that he did not switch an oxygen monitor attached to a baby girl allegedly attacked by nurse Lucy Letby back on.

Ms Letby is accused of attempting to murder the baby, referred to as Child G, three times at the Countess of Chester Hospital in September 2015.

The nurse is charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others between 2015 and 2016.

Ms Letby, 32, who is on trial at Chester Crown Court, denies 22 charges.

The court heard at around 15:30 BST on 21 September 2015, Child G was cannulated by doctors and placed on a so-called Masimo monitor, a portable device that continually measures oxygen saturations and heart rate levels.

Following the procedure a nurse, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she noticed the monitor had been switched off, which was "not normal protocol", and refuted any suggestion Ms Letby had turned it off.

She previously told the court that on 21 September consultant paediatrician Dr John Gibbs and Dr David Harkness had apologised to her, as they had not switched the monitor back on after fitting the cannula.

Dr Harkness, giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court, repeatedly said he "can't remember" the events of that shift.

Lucy Letby denies all the charges against her

But he did tell the court it was "not safe" to turn off such a monitor, adding: "I'm not even sure I know how to turn off that particular monitor. At no point would I have turned it off".

Ben Myers KC, defending, put it to Dr Harkness that he and Dr Gibbs left Child G behind a screen, detached from the monitor, and had failed to inform nursing staff.

On the monitor being switched off, Dr Harkness flatly said "no".

He earlier said he "definitely wouldn't have turned it off."

On the accusation he did not inform nursing staff and left Child G unattended, he said: "I don't think so. It's highly unlikely".

Asked if he apologised to a member of the nursing team for failing to turn the monitor back on, Dr Harkness said he "can't remember" whether such a conversation took place.

When asked the same questions on Wednesday, Dr Gibbs agreed it would be a "serious error" to have left a baby behind a screen without a monitor switched on and not inform a nurse.

Dr Gibbs also said he "can't remember" the events of 21 September but added that if the nurse had said there was an apology then "presumably that's what happened".

The court has previously heard how on the morning of 21 September Child G "had two large projectile milky vomits" and had "apnoea" for a short period.

The prosecution alleges Ms Letby, of Hereford, overfed Child G with milk through a nasogastric tube or injected air into the same tube.

The jury has previously been told the baby survived but suffered irreversible brain damage and was left with disabilities including quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

The trial has now adjourned until 9 January.

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