Medical expert gives evidence at baby murder trial

THE jury in the trial of a nurse accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill 10 more have heard from an independent medical expert.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans dealt with general background matters relating to neonatal care in the NHS and explanations of medical terms, during evidence on the fifth day of the trial of nurse Lucy Letby.

Evidence directly related to the 17 children allegedly harmed by Letby will be heard later in the trial, with Dr Evans being an expert witness.

Letby, 32, denies attacking newborn children in a variety of ways, including poisoning, during an alleged killing spree on the neonatal unit at Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

Yesterday the eight women and four men of the jury were shown a “walk through” video of the neonatal unit at Chester as it was when Letby worked there.

Dr Evans, the first witness called in the trial which is expected to last up to six months, said he began working in paediatrics 40 years ago and had worked in neonatal units in Swansea, Cardiff and Liverpool and had developed neonatal services in south Wales in the 70s and 80s when it was an emerging discipline of medicine.

A court order prohibits reporting of the identities of surviving and dead children allegedly attacked by Letby, and prohibits identifying parents or witnesses connected with the children.

Letby, originally from Hereford, denies all the allegations.

The trial was adjourned until Monday morning.