Lucy Letby trial: Nurse attacked babies after parents left, jury told

Murder-accused nurse Lucy Letby attacked nine of her alleged victims soon after their visiting parents had left their cotsides, her trial has heard.

The 33-year-old has been accused of taking the "opportunity" to "sabotage" premature babies when she could.

Ms Letby denies murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others at Countess of Chester Hospital.

She was being cross-examined for a fifth day at Manchester Crown Court.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC asked about her recollections of a baby girl, referred to as Child H, who was allegedly deliberately harmed by the nurse on two occasions in September 2015.

The jury has heard the girl needed resuscitating in the early hours of 26 and 27 September.

Mr Johnson quoted a statement from her father.

He said his daughter "was OK during the Saturday day and then quite late on, I remember going to the parents' bedroom on the ward to get some sleep. Shortly after she had deteriorated and needed medical attention".

Mr Johnson said this was another example of an "incident happening just after the parents or parent had left".

He said Child H's father leaving the infant's cot side gave Ms Letby "the opportunity to sabotage" her - but the nurse rejected this.

Mr Johnson put it to her that "just as in the cases" of eight other children, this was "something you do".

She replied: "No, I've never attacked any child."

Mr Johnson went on to ask Ms Letby if she was "bored" and had "time on her hands" while on her night shift on 26 into 27 September, to which she replied "no".

The barrister pointed out that just minutes before Child H's second crash at 00:55 on 27 September, Ms Letby was "liking" pictures of friends on Facebook.

Ms Letby said she "may have been on my break at that point".

Mr Johnson put it to Ms Letby that she had caused Child H's collapse, which she rejected.

The prosecutor quoted the evidence of a doctor, Dr Neame, who said he responded to a crash bleep shortly after 01:00 and found Ms Letby treating Child H alone.

Asked if this was correct, Ms Letby said: "I can't say from memory."

The nurse denied making an "alibi" at 01:00 with an entry on a fluid balance chart for another baby.

"That's me giving care to the baby I was allocated," she said.

The trial continues.

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