Children’s nurse Lucy Letby to go on trial next year accused of murdering eight babies
Children’s nurse Lucy Letby, 31, is set to go on trial next year accused of murdering eight babies and attempting to kill ten others at a hospital neonatal unit
- Lucy Letby, 31, is accused of murdering eight babies and of attempting to murder 10 over the course of a year at the Countess of Chester Hospital
- Chester University graduate arrested over alleged offences in 2018 and 2019
- She appeared for case management hearing via HMP Peterborough video link
- Liverpool Crown Court hearing on Tuesday set her trial date for June 4 2022
Lucy Letby, the children’s nurse accused of murdering eight babies in a hospital’s neonatal unit, is due to go on trial on July 4, 2022.
Mr Justice Dove set the date during a 15-minute case management hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Letby, 31, who is also accused of the attempted murders of 10 other babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital, appeared via a video link from HMP Peterborough.
She was sitting alone at a long desk in jeans and a black top, her brown hair tied back in a ponytail. She spoke only to confirm her name.
Letby Letby, 31, will go on trial accused of murdering eight babies and the attempted murders of 10 others at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2018 and 2019 on July 4 next year
Letby appeared before Liverpool Crown Court via videolink from HMP Peterborough for a case management hearing on Tuesday
Mr Justice Dove set the July 2022 date after hearing and reading submissions from both prosecution and defence.
He told the hearing that July 4, 2022, would be a realistic starting date for a trial ‘of this magnitude and complexity’.
The estimated length of the trial, to be held at Manchester Crown Court, is six months. A trial judge has yet to be selected.
The neonatal nurse, who is originally from Hereford, has yet to be arraigned on the charges she faces.
Mr Justice Dove noted that there were aspects of the prosecution case that had yet to be served on the defence.
Mr Justice Dove set the July 2022 date on the basis that it would be a realistic starting date for a trial ‘of this magnitude and complexity’
Letby is therefore not expected to enter pleas until October 4 at the earliest, when the court reconvenes for a further case management hearing.
A provisional date for the trial had originally been set as January 11 next year, but that was abandoned because of the volume of work required by both sets of lawyers.
Letby’s barrister, Ben Myers, QC, made no application for bail at today’s hearing, which dealt with administrative and case management matters ahead of the trial.
The defendant, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, remains in custody.
