News

Lucy Letby ‘told off’ colleague who called for help, court hears

A neonatal assistant said she was shocked that a request for help when a baby’s oxygen levels dropped was questioned by Ms Letby

A neonatal assistant said she was shocked that a request for help when a baby’s oxygen levels dropped was questioned by Ms Letby

Photo of Lucy Letby smiling
Lucy Letby Picture: Shutterstock

Lucy Letby ‘told off’ a colleague who shouted for help when a baby’s oxygen levels dropped, her murder trial has been told.

Neonatal assistant Lisa Walker told jurors at Manchester Crown Court she was ‘shocked’ when Ms Letby asked why she had sought assistance.

Cot alarm indicated that oxygen levels were falling

Ms Walker said she and the defendant – who is accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill ten others – were working together in a neonatal room at the Countess of Chester Hospital when an alarm monitor sounded.

She said they were feeding infants in opposite corners of the room when an alarm went off at the cot where Ms Letby was, indicating oxygen levels were falling.

Giving evidence from behind a screen on Monday, Ms Walker said Ms Letby stopped the feed through a nasogastric tube, commenced ‘gentle stimulation’ of the baby and, when that did not work, she gave oxygen via a facial mask.

When the baby did not respond to the oxygen Ms Walker shouted for help as a nurse walked past the door 'as the baby was not picking up’.

She said a doctor also came into the room but agreed the oxygen levels had increased by that point and later left.

Colleague was told off for shouting for help

Ms Walker said: ‘Then Ms Letby said to me: “Why did you shout for help?”.'

Prosecutor Philip Astbury asked: ‘In what way?’ Ms Walker replied: ‘Quite firmly.’

Mr Astbury then asked: ‘How did you feel about that?’ Ms Walker said: ‘Shocked, because you can’t have enough help in that situation.’

She added that she did not explain to Ms Letby why she asked for help as she ‘trusted her colleagues’. But she added she felt ‘quite taken aback and shocked because it’s something you would not expect a nurse to say’.

Mr Astbury asked: ‘Why has it stuck in your memory?’ The witness replied: ‘It’s because I was told off for shouting for help.’

Ms Walker agreed with defence barrister Ben Myers KC that she could not remember the date of the incident or the name and sex of the baby involved.

Mr Myers said: ‘You didn’t see anything regarding Ms Letby’s actions towards the baby which caused you any concern at all?’ To which Ms Walker replied: ‘No.'

Ms Letby injected fatal amount of air into Child D’s bloodstream, alleges Crown

Earlier in the day, registrar Andrew Brunton told the court it was ‘completely unclear’ why a baby allegedly murdered by Ms Letby had ‘dramatic deteriorations’.

The girl, referred to as Child D, is said to be the third child murdered by the defendant in a two-week period. The Crown says Ms Letby injected a fatal amount of air into her bloodstream.

Ms Letby denies the offences said to have been committed between June 2015 and June 2016.

The trial continues.


In other news

Jobs