Lucy Letby one of two nurses on duty both days two babies harmed
Posted 06 June 2023 - 14:42
The accused nurse agrees that unprescribed insulin was deliberately added to intravenous fluids for Child F and Child L, but says it was not her that did it
Lucy Letby was one of only two nurses who were both on duty on the days when two baby boys were poisoned with insulin, the nurses’ murder trial has heard.
The prosecution alleges that Ms Letby added unprescribed insulin to a bag containing nutrients that was given intravenously to the baby boy known as Child F in August 2015 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Lucy Letby agrees someone added insulin to IV bags, but says it was not her
Ms Letby is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of ten others at the hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. She denies all charges.
On 5 June, her 11th day of giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court, Ms Letby agreed that someone had intentionally given insulin to Child F, but denied it was her.
It is alleged she deliberately gave another unprescribed insulin dose on the neonatal unit in April 2016, to the baby boy known as Child L when he was receiving dextrose intravenously.
In both cases the infants experienced hypoglycaemic episodes, in which their blood sugar levels dropped dangerously low, before they both made a full recovery.
The neonatal nurse denies administering insulin to either child or interfering with any bags of fluid.
Accused nurse says there was ‘no legitimate reason’ to add insulin to fluids
The court heard Ms Letby co-signed the administration of a bag of nutrients for Child F with a colleague, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Ms Letby told jurors she had no memory of the event independent of the nursing notes.
Cross-examining, prosecutor Nick Johnson KC asked: ‘Do you accept that somebody put insulin in the total parenteral nutrition bag or bags?’
Ms Letby replied: ‘I don’t think I can say exactly what was in that bag but I accept he was given insulin at some point.’
The defendant accepted that the evidence showed that someone put unprescribed insulin into a bag, or bags, of dextrose used for Child L. She also agreed there was ‘no legitimate reason’ for adding insulin.
Only two nurses were on duty for both shifts on which the insulin was given
Mr Johnson said: ‘If we look at the staffing arrangements for this shift and (Child F), only two people are common to each shift. One is (nurse) Belinda Williamson and the other is…?
‘Myself,’ said Ms Letby.
Mr Johnson accused Ms Letby of attacking Child L when the infant’s designated nurse had left the room to give medications to other babies in the unit.
‘That was the opportunity you took to poison (Child L), wasn’t it?’ he asked. ‘No,’ she replied. He then suggested it was a ‘targeted attack’, to which Ms Letby replied: ‘Not by me.’
‘Not by you, somebody else?’ asked Mr Johnson. ‘Yes,’ said Ms Letby.
Mr Johnson said: ‘Poisoning of a child in the same way that (Child F) was poisoned?’ Ms Letby replied: ‘Yes.’
‘With the same substance?’ said Mr Johnson. ‘Yes,’ repeated Ms Letby.
‘I have never put insulin into any bags,’ Ms Letby tells court
Mr Johnson said: ‘Is the reality that unless there is more than one poisoner it has to be you or Belinda Williamson?’ Ms Letby replied: ‘I can only answer for myself and say I have never put insulin into any bags.’
Mr Johnson then said: ‘It was never suggested (by Ms Letby’s counsel) to Belinda Williamson that she did it.’ Ms Letby said: ‘I can’t answer that.’
Earlier in the trial, Ms Williamson, and other nurses who worked on either of the two relevant shifts, denied they had given insulin to either of the infants.
Proceedings for the day finished after the lunch break when a juror was taken ill. The trial continues.
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