Nurse accused of murdering babies at Cheshire hospital appears in court

Lucy Letby's accused of going on a year-long killing spree at the Countess of Chester Hospital

Author: Kim Pilling & Dan DaviesPublished 29th Jul 2022
Last updated 29th Jul 2022

A pre-trial court hearing has been held for a nurse accused of multiple baby murders at a Cheshire hospital.

Lucy Letby, 32, will face trial in October on charges that she murdered five boys and two girls, and attempted to murder five boys and five girls, between June 2015 and June 2016.

Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, is said to have gone on a year-long killing spree while working on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester.

She denies all the allegations.

The defendant appeared at Manchester Crown Court by videolink from HMP Bronzefield on Friday, speaking only to confirm her name during the 80-minute hearing.

The hearing dealt with matters ahead of her trial, which cannot be reported.

A court order prohibits reporting of the identities of surviving and deceased children allegedly attacked by Letby, and prohibits identifying the parents or witnesses connected with the children.

Her trial, estimated to last up to six months at the same court, will begin on October 4.

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