Nurse Lucy Letby denies murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 more at Chester hospital

A nurse accused of multiple baby murders has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Lucy Letby, 32, faces 22 charges including the murder of five boys and two girls.

She is also accused of 15 counts of attempted murder of another five boys and five girls, between June 2015 and June 2016, with some allegations referring to repeated attempts on the same baby.

Letby, of Arran Avenue, Hereford, wearing a blue jacket over a black shirt, stood in the dock and replied “not guilty” as each of the 22 charges were read out to her at Manchester Crown Court.

Family members of some of her alleged child victims sat in the public gallery listening as the names of the children were read out during her not guilty pleas.

On the other side of the public gallery sat the defendant’s parents, John, 76, and Susan, 62.

It is claimed she went on a year-long killing spree while working in the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in Chester.

After the jury of five men and nine women were sworn in Mr Justice Goss told them the trial was "bound to provoke an instinctive reaction of horror".

He said: "This trial involving allegations of murder or attempted murder of babies is bound to provoke an instinctive reaction of horror."

But he added they were, "to put aside your emotions and to judge the evidence rationally and dispassionately and only on the evidence they will hear in the trial."

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

The Countess of Chester Hospital, serves communities across the North West, and in parts of Wrexham and Flintshire.

The trial at Manchester Crown Court is estimated to last up to six months.