Lucy Letby has been found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another six at the Countess of Chester hospital in north-west England. The nurse, 33, attacked the newborns between June 2015 and June 2016 at the neonatal unit where she worked.
She was found not guilty on two counts of attempted murder and jurors were unable to reach verdicts on six other counts of attempted murder after deliberations lasting more than 110 hours.
Her convictions, which follow a 10-month trial at Manchester crown court, make her the worst child serial killer in modern British history.
Here we chart the timeline of her crimes and attempts by some of her colleagues to raise the alarm. She was eventually removed from the neonatal unit in July 2016. Hospital executives called the police almost a year later, and she was arrested in July 2018. The Guardian has contacted the executives for comment.
The hospital’s medical director, Ian Harvey, said: “As medical director, I was determined to keep the baby unit safe and support our staff. I wanted the reviews and investigations carried out, so that we could tell the parents what had happened to their children. I believe there should be an inquiry that looks at all events leading up to this trial and I will help it in whatever way I can.”
Alison Kelly, the director of nursing and deputy chief executive, said: “We owe it to the babies and their families to learn lessons and I will fully cooperate with the independent inquiry announced.”
Karen Rees, duty executive, was also contacted for comment.
