Nurse photographed thank you card from alleged victims' parents, court told

Lucy Letby is on trial at Manchester Crown Court

Author: Kim PillingPublished 15th May 2023

A murder-accused nurse photographed a thank you card from the parents of two of her alleged victims as "something to remember".

Lucy Letby, 33, said it was not unusual for her to take photos of cards she had sent and received.

She is on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others.

Two of her victims at the Countess of Chester's neonatal unit are said to be newborn twin boys, Child E and F.

It is alleged she murdered Child E with a fatal injection of air into his bloodstream and attempted to murder his brother, Child F, by insulin poisoning in August 2015.

Jurors have heard the boys' parents brought in a hamper and a 'thank you' card to the unit some three months later.

Images of the card were recovered from Letby's phone following her arrest, the court heard.

Giving evidence on Monday, Letby said she was working a night shift in the early hours of November 20 2015 when she decided to photograph the card at the nurses' station.

Her barrister Ben Myers KC asked: "Why did you take a photograph of a thank you car from the (Child E and F's parents)?"

Letby replied: "It was something I wanted to remember. I quite often take photographs of cards I have sent and received."

Mr Myers said: "Anything unusual in you doing that?"

Letby said: "No."

Jurors were told Letby searched the name of the twins' mother on Facebook a total of nine times between August 2015 and January 2016.

Letby said: "Searching for people on Facebook is something I would do. Quite often (the twins' mother) was on my mind following (Child E and Child F).

Mr Myers said: "Is there anything unusual for you looking more than once on Facebook for someone on your mind?

Letby said: "No, that's a normal pattern of behaviour for me."

The defendant, from Hereford, denies all the alleged offences said to have taken place between June 2015 and June 2016.

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