The trial of Lucy Letby, a 33-year-old nurse from the UK, is entering its third week, with the jury hearing evidence of the nurse’s alleged involvement in the deaths of seven babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neo-natal unit. Letby has denied all the allegations against her, including the murder of Child I, who is said to have been killed at the fourth attempt. The prosecutor, Nick Johnson KC, has been presenting evidence to the jury, including photographs, handover sheets, and a blood gas reading.
One of the questions Johnson asked Letby was about a photograph she took of a sympathy card she wrote to be passed to colleagues attending the funeral of Child I. Letby denied getting a “thrill” from photographing the card at the hospital where the child died, saying it was just her usual behavior. Johnson pointed out that the card was addressed to the parents of a child who died in “dreadful circumstances” at the hospital, and asked if it gave her a “bit of a thrill” to take the picture. Letby again denied getting a thrill from taking the picture, but her explanation seemed suspicious to the prosecutor.
The trial has also seen Johnson questioning Letby about the discovery of 257 shift handover sheets, some of which included the names of babies Letby allegedly harmed. The sheets were found at Letby’s home and her parents’ address in Hereford. One sheet, dated June 1st, 2010, was found in “pristine condition” at her address in Westbourne Road, Chester, and did not have any writing or folds. Johnson asked Letby about the sheet, asking why she kept it and what was in the “keepsafe box” where it was found. Letby said she couldn’t recall from memory what was in the box, but agreed that the sheet was in pristine condition and didn’t have any writing on it.
Lucy Letby
Johnson also asked Letby about 99 handover sheets she allegedly kept from her time as a student, which were found in a Morrisons bag in her home. Letby said she wouldn’t know why they were kept, and Johnson suggested that she was not telling the truth about the sheets. Letby’s inconsistent explanations for her actions are cause for concern, and Johnson seems to be highlighting the suspicious nature of her behavior.
Another piece of evidence presented in court was a blood gas reading of a baby boy, Child M, who Letby allegedly attempted to murder. Johnson reminded the jury that the nursing colleague who took the measurement would have disposed of the printout in the unit’s confidential waste bin, but instead it was found in Letby’s possession. Letby denied getting the printout from the bin, but couldn’t recall specifically how she got it. Johnson suggested that it was part of her “little collection”, to which Letby replied “no”. This exchange seems to suggest that Letby may have been hoarding and collecting sensitive medical information.
The trial is ongoing, with Letby denying all the alleged offences said to have taken place between June 2015 and June 2016. However, the evidence presented so far paints a concerning picture of Letby’s behavior, and it will be interesting to see how the trial unfolds. The court will have to determine whether Letby’s actions were mere coincidence or if she was indeed involved in the deaths of the seven babies. The prosecution’s job is to prove that Letby was responsible for the harm and death of the babies, and the defense will have to convince the jury that the allegations are baseless.
