Just Friends

Two babies died and a third collapsed within 72 hours of Lucy Letby telling a colleague she would be " back in with a bang" After Her holiday, a court heard.

The neonatal nurse, 33, is charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others at Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Manchester Crown Court heard Child O and P, Two Brothers in a set of triplets, died in June 2016.

Ms Letby, from Hereford, denies all of the allegations against her.

Jurors were told The Accused was On Holiday in Ibiza With Friends when The Triplets were born.

In a text message to a fellow nurse ahead of her return to work, Ms Letby said she would " probably be back in with a bang" The Court heard.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC said " within 72 hours of that text" Child O and P had both died and Child Q - who was unrelated to them - had collapsed.

Ms Letby accepted there were no health concerns about The Triplets , who cannot be named for legal Reasons , when they were born.

She agreed their birth was " big news" on the neonatal unit and that it was the First Time she had ever come across naturally conceived triplets in her career.

Ms Letby denied attacking Child O on her first day back at work in order to gain the attention of a Doctor Who prosecutors have suggested she " had a crush on".

She has previously told jurors she was not in love with the registrar - who cannot be named for legal Reasons - and they were Just Friends .

Jurors were told Ms Letby texted him that morning: " Bit rubbish that you couldn't stay on nnu (neonatal unit).

" You may get time for lunch though if on clinic. "

Mr Johnson asked her: " Were you disappointed he was not there? "

She Said : " Yes, I enjoyed working with [The Doctor ]. "

Mr Johnson said: " Were you missing him? "

Ms Letby said: " No, This Was my first day back at work. "

Mr Johnson said: " Did you want to get his attention? "

" No," The Nurse said.

Mr Johnson asked: " Is that The Reason you sabotaged [Child O]? "

" No," the defendant repeated.

Jurors were told that up to 90 Minutes later, Ms Letby called for help from the registrar, who was working in a neighbouring nursery.

The Prosecutor asked her: " Were you trying to get his attention? "

Ms Letby said: " Yes, I wanted him to be with (Child O). "

Mr Johnson said: " Personal attention as well? "

Letby said: " No, he was the registrar on The Unit That Day . "

Ms Letby, who was Child O's designated nurse, called for The Doctor 's assistance at about 13:15 BST after the infant vomited following a milk feed 45 minutes earlier.

Medical entries showed The Accused signed for The Feed but, giving her 13th day of evidence, Ms Letby told The Court that The Child was actually fed by a Student Nurse she was mentoring.

Mr Johnson said: " You deliberately overfed [Child O], didn't you? "

Ms Letby replied: " No I didn't. I was not feeding this baby. "

The Court was told Ms Letby had noted Child O's appearance was " mottled" and his abdomen was " red and distended".

Mr Johnson reminded The Nurse The Unit 's head consultant Dr Stephen Brearey had recalled an " unusual rash" on The Right side of Child O's chest wall, which later disappeared.

The Prosecutor asked her: " Is that what you saw as well? "

Ms Letby said: " No. "

Mr Johnson told The Court that Child O's mother had noticed " changing" skin discolouration and " prominent veins" while Child O's father observed " something oozing through his veins".

He asked The Accused : " Do you agree with the descriptions? "

Ms Letby replied: " I didn't see anything like that. "

Mr Johnson said: " You saw a sort of blotchy, purply/red rash? "

" Yes, " Ms Letby said.

The defendant agreed a liver injury sustained by Child O - discovered after his Death - Must have been inflicted during The Shift .

She told The Court : " I don't know how that has happened. "

Mr Johnson said: " You injected [Child O's] stomach with gas down the [nasogastric tube], didn't you? "

The Nurse said: " No, I didn't. "

Mr Johnson said: " You injected air into his circulation. "

Ms Letby said: " No. "

Mr Johnson said: " And through some violent mechanism, you inflicted that liver injury on him. "

" No," The Nurse replied.

Child O continued to decline throughout the afternoon and died at 17:47.

Mr Johnson accused Ms Letby of then turning her attention to Child O's brother, Child P, who was also in her care.

The Prosecutor said: " You had already put your plan into motion by pumping [Child P] before you left, hadn't you? "

" No," Ms Letby said.

Mr Johnson went on: " You overfed [Child P] some time between 6pm and handing him over at 8pm, didn't you? "

Letby said: " No. "

The defendant is alleged to have murdered Child P The Following day with more injections of air.

The Trial continues.

Source of news: bbc.com