Lucy Letby insists she is innocent as nurse tells court she never attacked any babies in her care
LUCY Letby today insisted she was innocent and denied ever harming any babies in her care as she gave evidence in her retrial.
The nurse, 34, was last year convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others.
She is currently going through a retrial accused of trying to murder Baby K by dislodging her breathing tube while at Countess of Chester Hospital.
The baby was transported to Arrowe Park Hospital and sadly died three days later – although prosecutors do not believe the nurse caused her death.
During her evidence at Manchester Crown Court today, Letby denied any responsibility for the deaths or near-deaths of children in her care.
Her barrister Ben Myers KC asked: “Do you accept that you have ever intended to hurt any baby in your care?”
The nurse replied: “No, I don’t.”
Mr Myers then asked: “Do you accept that you have ever tried to harm any baby in your care?”
Letby replied: “No.”
The court heard Baby K was born “extremely premature” on February 17, 2016 – weighing just 1lb 80z.
Around two hours after she was born, Letby was “caught virtually red-handed” trying to kill the baby, jurors were told.
A senior consultant paediatrician allegedly saw the nurse standing over the cot “doing nothing” as Baby K’s blood oxygen levels dipped.
Letby later interfered with the baby’s breathing tube twice more on the same night in a bid to convince her colleagues the tot was dislodging it herself, jurors heard.
She said today she had no recollection of the alleged events – including searching Baby K’s surname on Facebook two years after the horror.
The nurse said: “I’m not sure. I don’t have recollection of doing that at the time or now why I did.”
Mr Myers asked: “Is it linked to any attempt to do her harm? “
Letby replied: “No.”
The nurse, of Hereford, denies one count of attempted murder.