Lucy Letby denies poisoning babies with insulin

Lucy Letby was one of only two nurses on shift when two baby boys received a highly dangerous dose of insulin, her murder trial has heard.

Shift patterns revealed only Ms Letby and a colleague were working at the times the babies received the drug, eight months apart.

The 33-year-old is charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others at Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

She denies all the allegations.

Ms Letby has accepted that the babies, referred to as Child F and L, were both given insulin - despite not being prescribed the drug - but has denied any involvement.

It is claimed the babies' intravenous feed bags were contaminated.

Three other nurses have already sworn they did not give insulin to Child F.

The trial at Manchester Crown Court has heard how shortly after the boy received intravenous nutrients on 4 August 2015, his heart rate surged and his blood sugars plummeted.

A medical expert said blood samples revealed "only one explanation" - that the child "received insulin from some outside source".

In the case of Child L, the court has heard that on 9 April 2016 his glucose levels fell to abnormally low and he had to be given glucose in an attempt to correct hypoglycaemia.

The prosecution have said that blood tests revealed a very high level of insulin, which they said was the result of a "deliberate act of sabotage".

Mr Johnson put it to Ms Letby that what happened to Child L was a "targeted attack".

The nurse replied: "Not by me it wasn't."

Mr Johnson accused her of "poisoning a child in the same way Baby F was poisoned".

"Isn't the reality that unless there's more than one poisoner it has to be you or [colleague also on shift] Belinda Simcock?", he said.

Ms Letby responded: "I can only answer for myself and say I've never put insulin into any bags."

She earlier said she "can't recall" the collapse of a baby girl she is said to have attempted to murder.

The nurse is said to have deliberately dislodged Child K's breathing tube shortly before consultant Dr Ravi Jayaram walked in the nursery room, during a night shift in February 2016.

The prosecution claim Ms Letby struck at 03:50, less than two hours after the extremely premature child was born.

Dr Jayaram previously told the jury that he went to check on Child K that morning as he "felt extremely uncomfortable" at the thought of Ms Letby being alone with the girl.

When he arrived in the nursery, he said he "saw Lucy Letby standing by the incubator and the ventilator" and noticed Child K's blood oxygen levels were continuing to drop.

Dr Jayaram said the nurse was doing "nothing" to assist with the desaturation.

Asked if she agreed with Dr Jayaram's recollection, Ms Letby said she had "no memory" of Child K's collapse.

Asked if she disputed Dr Jayaram's account, she said "I don't believe it did happen, but I have no direct memory of it."

In evidence Dr Jayaram said for a baby to have reached the level of desaturation Child K had, she would have had to have been declining for 30 seconds.

Ms Letby said it was "standard practice" to wait "a few seconds", up to "10, 20", to see if a baby self-corrected during a desaturation.

"30 seconds?", Mr Johnson asked. Ms Letby said she "can't say".

"You are lying, aren't you? Because you were trying to kill [Child K]", Mr Johnson said.

"No", Ms Letby responded.

The trial continues.

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