THE trial of a Hereford nurse accused of murdering babies while working in a neonatal unit will start tomorrow.

Lucy Letby, 31, previously pleaded not guilty to eight counts of murder plus 10 counts of attempted murder of babies when she appeared before Manchester Crown Court by videolink from HMP Peterborough, where she was on remand, in October 2021.

RELATED NEWS:

A not guilty charge was recorded on one count of murder at Manchester Crown Court in June after Nick Johnson QC said the prosecution was offering no evidence on one of the counts of murder.

Letby, who grew up in and lives in Hereford, is alleged to have gone on a year-long killing spree while working on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester.

She denies the murder of five baby boys and two baby girls and the attempted murder of five baby boys and five baby girls, all between June 2015 and June 2016.

OTHER NEWS:

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.

Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, was first arrested in 2018 after detectives from Cheshire Constabulary launched an investigation into infant deaths at the hospital in May 2017, before being re-arrested in June 2019 and November 2020.

The trial, which is expected to last up to six months, will start at Manchester Crown Court on October 4.

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