Lucy Letby: "I never did anything to harm children"
The 33-year-old is accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill 10 more whilst working on the Neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital
Last updated 2nd May 2023
A nurse accused of killing seven children in a hospital neo-natal unit, and attempting to kill another ten has told a court she "never did anything to harm children."
Lucy Letby, 33, originally from Hereford denies the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neo-natal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.
Her trial began last October and for six months the prosecution has been setting out what they say is the evidence against Letby.
Today her defence has started setting out their case, calling Letby to the stand to give evidence at Manchester Crown Court.
Asked by her barrister Benjamin Myers KC "Did you ever do anything that was meant to hurt any of them" she said, "No I only ever did my best to care for them, I’m there to help and to care, not to harm."
Letby said she was "sickened" and "devastated" when she learnt about the allegations against her, "I don’t think you can be accused of anything worse than that and I was devastated, I changed as a person my mental health deteriorated," she said.
Letby told the jury she worked "very hard" to become a nurse and that he job was "her life"
After the allegations and arrest she was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD and at times felt suicidal, the court heard.
Shown a note which has been presented by the prosecution on which Letby wrote 'I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them and I’m a horrible evil person', Letby said at the time "My whole situation felt hopeless."
She said the note was "a way of me expressing everything at that time that I wasn’t able to say to anyone else" but that it wasn't a confession to murder.
She said she believed she had been removed from the ward because she had failed in her duties or competencies saying "I felt at the time if I had made mistakes that harmed anyone and not known... I must be an awful evil person."
Letby will continue to give evidence this afternoon.