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| Nurse Lucy Letby poisoned babies with insulin, trial told | Nurse Lucy Letby poisoned babies with insulin, trial told |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Ms Letby, of Hereford, was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit when the deaths happened | Ms Letby, of Hereford, was working at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit when the deaths happened |
| A "poisoner was at work" at a hospital where there was a "significant rise" in the number of healthy babies dying, a court has heard. | A "poisoner was at work" at a hospital where there was a "significant rise" in the number of healthy babies dying, a court has heard. |
| Lucy Letby has been accused of murdering five baby boys and two girls, and attempting to murder 10 other babies at Countess of Chester hospital. | Lucy Letby has been accused of murdering five baby boys and two girls, and attempting to murder 10 other babies at Countess of Chester hospital. |
| Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, said she was a "constant malevolent presence" in the hospital's neonatal unit. | Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, said she was a "constant malevolent presence" in the hospital's neonatal unit. |
| Ms Letby, 32, of Hereford, denies 22 charges at Manchester Crown Court. | Ms Letby, 32, of Hereford, denies 22 charges at Manchester Crown Court. |
| Jurors heard Ms Letby is alleged to have tried to kill one child three times, while another was killed as a result of being injected with air. | |
| Parents of babies concerned in the case were among those present in the court as Mr Johnson opened the prosecution. | |
| He said the Chester institution was a "busy general hospital like so many others in the UK". | |
| However, he said that "unlike many other hospitals, within the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, a poisoner was at work". | However, he said that "unlike many other hospitals, within the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, a poisoner was at work". |
| "Prior to January 2015, the statistics for the mortality of babies in the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester were comparable to other like units," he said. | "Prior to January 2015, the statistics for the mortality of babies in the neo-natal unit at the Countess of Chester were comparable to other like units," he said. |
| "However, over the next 18 months or so, there was a significant rise in the number of babies who were dying and in the number of serious catastrophic collapses." | "However, over the next 18 months or so, there was a significant rise in the number of babies who were dying and in the number of serious catastrophic collapses." |
| Lucy Letby appeared in the dock at Manchester Crown Court | Lucy Letby appeared in the dock at Manchester Crown Court |
| He said the increases were noticed by hospital consultants, who were concerned that "babies who were dying had deteriorated unexpectedly". | He said the increases were noticed by hospital consultants, who were concerned that "babies who were dying had deteriorated unexpectedly". |
| Medics also noted that babies who had collapsed "did not respond to appropriate and timely resuscitation" and that others "collapsed dramatically, but then, equally dramatically, recovered". | Medics also noted that babies who had collapsed "did not respond to appropriate and timely resuscitation" and that others "collapsed dramatically, but then, equally dramatically, recovered". |
| "Having searched for a cause, which they were unable to find, the consultants noticed that the inexplicable collapses and deaths did have one common denominator," he said. | "Having searched for a cause, which they were unable to find, the consultants noticed that the inexplicable collapses and deaths did have one common denominator," he said. |
| "The presence of one of the neonatal nurses and that nurse was Lucy Letby." | "The presence of one of the neonatal nurses and that nurse was Lucy Letby." |
| Mr Johnson told the court that as medics could not account for the collapses and deaths, police were called in and conducted a "painstaking review". | Mr Johnson told the court that as medics could not account for the collapses and deaths, police were called in and conducted a "painstaking review". |
| "That review suggests in the period between mid-2015 and the middle of 2016, somebody in the neonatal unit poisoned two children with insulin," he said. | "That review suggests in the period between mid-2015 and the middle of 2016, somebody in the neonatal unit poisoned two children with insulin," he said. |
| "The prosecution say the only reasonable conclusion to be drawn from the evidence you will hear is that somebody poisoned these babies deliberately with insulin." | "The prosecution say the only reasonable conclusion to be drawn from the evidence you will hear is that somebody poisoned these babies deliberately with insulin." |
| Among several cases detailed by the barrister, he told the jury that both babies were boys and both born as twins - but not to each other - and were poisoned within a few days of being born. | |
| Mr Johnson said their blood sugar levels dropped to dangerous levels. | Mr Johnson said their blood sugar levels dropped to dangerous levels. |
| But the babies - identified only as child F and child L - survived due to the skill of medical staff who appreciated low blood sugar can have natural causes, he said. | But the babies - identified only as child F and child L - survived due to the skill of medical staff who appreciated low blood sugar can have natural causes, he said. |
| "What the medical staff did not realise was that in both cases, was the result of someone poisoning them with insulin," he added. | "What the medical staff did not realise was that in both cases, was the result of someone poisoning them with insulin," he added. |
| The prosecutor said nobody would think somebody would be trying to kill babies in a neonatal unit. | The prosecutor said nobody would think somebody would be trying to kill babies in a neonatal unit. |
| Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, said Lucy Letby was the "one common denominator" that linked the deaths and collapses | Nick Johnson KC, prosecuting, said Lucy Letby was the "one common denominator" that linked the deaths and collapses |
| "There's a very restricted number of people who could have been the poisoner, because entry to a neonatal unit is closely restricted," he said. | "There's a very restricted number of people who could have been the poisoner, because entry to a neonatal unit is closely restricted," he said. |
| "Lucy Letby was on duty when both were poisoned and we allege she was the poisoner," Mr Johnson said. | "Lucy Letby was on duty when both were poisoned and we allege she was the poisoner," Mr Johnson said. |
| He said both of the twins had a baby brother, child E and child M, who were both also allegedly attacked by Ms Letby - one of which did not survive. | He said both of the twins had a baby brother, child E and child M, who were both also allegedly attacked by Ms Letby - one of which did not survive. |
| The court heard one of the means by which the child E was killed and child M was harmed, was by having air injected into the bloodstream - what the doctors call an air embolus. | The court heard one of the means by which the child E was killed and child M was harmed, was by having air injected into the bloodstream - what the doctors call an air embolus. |
| He said all the deaths and collapses were "no accident" and were not "naturally-occurring tragedies". | He said all the deaths and collapses were "no accident" and were not "naturally-occurring tragedies". |
| Mr Johnson said sometimes babies were injected with air and on other occasions they were fed with insulin or too much milk. | Mr Johnson said sometimes babies were injected with air and on other occasions they were fed with insulin or too much milk. |
| Lucy Letby is alleged to have tried to kill the same baby three times | Lucy Letby is alleged to have tried to kill the same baby three times |
| He told the court: "So varying means by which these babies were attacked, but the constant presence when they were fatally attacked or collapsed catastrophically was Lucy Letby." | He told the court: "So varying means by which these babies were attacked, but the constant presence when they were fatally attacked or collapsed catastrophically was Lucy Letby." |
| Jurors were shown a chart showing nurses who were present on duty when the alleged criminal incidents were said to have taken place. | Jurors were shown a chart showing nurses who were present on duty when the alleged criminal incidents were said to have taken place. |
| Pointing out, as examples, the first three alleged offences in time he said the chart showed the only person that was present on all three occasions was the defendant. | Pointing out, as examples, the first three alleged offences in time he said the chart showed the only person that was present on all three occasions was the defendant. |
| Mr Johnson said: "If you look at the table overall the picture is, we say, self-evidently obvious. It's a process of elimination. | Mr Johnson said: "If you look at the table overall the picture is, we say, self-evidently obvious. It's a process of elimination. |
| "Many of the events in this case occurred on the night shifts. | "Many of the events in this case occurred on the night shifts. |
| "When upon Lucy Letby was moved on to day shifts, the collapses and deaths moved to the day shifts. | "When upon Lucy Letby was moved on to day shifts, the collapses and deaths moved to the day shifts. |
| "They were all the work of the woman in the dock, who, we say, was the constant malevolent presence when things took a turn for the worse for these 17 children." | "They were all the work of the woman in the dock, who, we say, was the constant malevolent presence when things took a turn for the worse for these 17 children." |
| Mr Johnson alleged that in some cases, Ms Letby tried to kill the same baby more than once. | Mr Johnson alleged that in some cases, Ms Letby tried to kill the same baby more than once. |
| "Sometimes a baby that she succeeded in killing she did not manage to kill the first time she tried, or even the second time, and in one case even the third time." | "Sometimes a baby that she succeeded in killing she did not manage to kill the first time she tried, or even the second time, and in one case even the third time." |
| The court heard how Ms Letby studied for her nursing degree at the University of Chester and had qualified a few years before the alleged events. | The court heard how Ms Letby studied for her nursing degree at the University of Chester and had qualified a few years before the alleged events. |
| She worked throughout the period in consideration at the neonatal unit and was living in Chester at the time. | She worked throughout the period in consideration at the neonatal unit and was living in Chester at the time. |
| The jury has been told the trial may last up to six months. | The jury has been told the trial may last up to six months. |
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