Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NAMED: 8 BABIES ‘KILLED BY NURSE’
Families listen on video link as Letby appears in court
A NURSE has faced court charged with murdering eight babies – including two brothers from a set of triplets.
Lucy Letby appeared calm and composed as the names of her alleged victims were finally read out yesterday.
She is accused of murdering boys Cemlyn Bennett, Joseph Johnson, Barney Gee, Joseph Gelder and Eli Gelder, and girls Elsie Mcnall, Daisy Parkin and Maddie Freed.
The 30-year-old is also charged with attempting to murder a further four girls and five boys – including a set of twins.
All the babies were in a premature baby unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The first to die was Cemlyn on June 8, 2015 and Joseph Johnson and Elsie also died that month. The court heard the neonatal nurse killed identical twins Joseph and Eli on June 23 and 24 respectively in 2016.
And it is claimed she then tried to kill a third – unrelated – boy on June 25.
An alternative charge of attempted murder was included for Maddie as she died on February 20, 2016 – described in court as “some time” after leaving hospital.
Letby appeared via video link from a Chester police station and spoke to confirm her details while bereaved families listened in. Solicitor Robyn Smith, of Slater and Gordon, representing two families, said: “Our clients are relieved we are one step closer to getting the answers they have long been waiting for.”
Neil Fearn, of Pryers Solicitors, added: “The f a mi l i e s a r e o v e r - whelmed. [They] now have hope they can learn the truth.”
One parent said: “It has started to feel real now the CPS has got the evidence together.”
Prosecutor Pascale Jones suggested Warrington magistrates remand Letby in custody for her own safety.
Letby was held in 2018, then re-arrested in 2019 and again earlier this week.
In 2013, the Chester University graduate was pictured holding a baby-gro in support of a local paper’s fundraising drive, saying: “My role involves caring for a wide range of babies requiring various levels of support.”
Letby was remanded in custody to face Chester crown court this afternoon.
Our clients are relieved we are closer to the answers they have long waited for SOLICITOR ROBYN SMITH ON LETBY BEING CHARGED