Nurse Lucy Letby has informed jurors that “killing babies” was not on her thoughts as she ready for a vacation in Ibiza.
Letby denies murdering seven infants and making an attempt to homicide 10 others on the neonatal unit on the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
The 33-year-old is accused of making an attempt to homicide one child the day earlier than she flew to the Spanish island with associates.
It is alleged she went on to homicide a new child on her first shift again from the vacation – after which killed his brother the subsequent day.
Lucy Letby’s textual content messages proven to court docket – trial because it occurred
Giving proof at Manchester Crown Court, Letby agreed together with her barrister Ben Myers KC that the allegations in opposition to her have been of the “most grave nature”.
She stated that in June 2016 she had a “busy, active life” exterior of labor, with “lots of” hobbies and associates.
Mr Myers requested her about an trade of WhatsApp messages with a nurse, who can’t be recognized for authorized causes, on 13 June, wherein they referenced packing and joked about showing on Love Island.
Letby informed the court docket that she, the opposite nurse and one other particular person occurring the vacation have been “excited” concerning the journey and “looking forward to it”.
She stated she was “happy to go to work” however she was additionally “looking forward to time off and going on holiday.”
Mr Myers stated: “In the middle of that were you planning on killing babies?”
Letby stated: “No.”
Mr Myers stated: “That’s what the prosecution are saying.”
Letby stated: “That didn’t happen.”
Mr Myers stated: “Is that what was on your mind?”
“No,” stated Letby.
Nurse denies ‘doing nothing’ when child collapsed
Letby was on vacation from 16 June to 22 June, the court docket heard.
On successive days on 23 and 24 June, she is alleged to have murdered two triplet brothers, Child O and P.
Earlier, Letby stated she was in a distinct nursery when a physician alleged he noticed her “doing nothing” when a child lady collapsed on the unit.
The defendant is alleged to have intentionally dislodged the toddler’s respiration tube shortly earlier than a marketing consultant walked into nursery one.
Giving proof earlier this 12 months, Dr Ravi Jayaram stated he noticed Letby standing by the incubator of Child Ok as her blood oxygen ranges plummeted.
No alarms have been sounding, he stated, and he recalled the nurse was “doing nothing”.
On Tuesday, Letby stated she was feeding one other child in nursery two at or shortly earlier than 3.50am on 17 February 2016.
Mr Myers requested: “Did you interfere with [Child K’s] tube?
“No,” replied Letby.
The defendant informed the court docket she was feeding one other child at “roughly” 3.30am, which concerned altering a nappy and giving 55ml of milk by way of a nasogastric tube.
Mr Myers requested: “How long would that take?”
Letby stated: “Around half an hour potentially.”
Mr Myers stated: “If that is ongoing do you have any reason to be in nursery one at or shortly before 3.50am?”
Letby replied: “No, I was with this baby.”
The Crown allege Letby struck lower than two hours after the extraordinarily untimely teenager was born.
Child Ok was transferred later that day on February 17 to Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital, the place she died three days later.
The prosecution doesn’t allege Letby induced her demise.
Letby, from Hereford, denies all of the allegations.
The trial continues.
Source: information.sky.com”