A British nurse was a "poisoner at work" in the newborn hospital ward where she allegedly murdered seven babies and attempted to kill several more, the court has heard.
Lucy Letby, 32, has appeared at Manchester Crown Court, accused of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of another 10.
Letby allegedly injected newborns with insulin, air or milk during night shifts at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
In 2017, an investigation was launched into the deaths and non-fatal collapses at the hospital from 2015 to 2016.
Letby was arrested three times in 2018, 2019 and 2020 on the suspicion of murder and attempted murder. She was released on bail the first two times, however, in 2020 she was denied bail.
Prosecutor Nick Johnson told the jury a "poisoner was at work" within the neonatal unit at the busy hospital where prior to January 2015, the mortality rate for newborns was normal, the BBC reported.
Johnson said over the next 18 months, there was a significant rise in the number of babies dying at the hospital, the outlet reported.
"They were all the work, we say, of the woman in the dock who we say was a constant malevolent presence when things took a turn for the worse for these children," Johnson said according to The Guardian.
Most of the victims were premature and receiving treatment in intensive care when they were attacked.
The outlet reported one of the newborns was just 24 hours old when she allegedly killed him by injecting the baby with air just an hour and a half into her shift. She reportedly tried to kill his twin sister the next day.
Johnson alleged in some cases Letby tried to kill the same baby more than once, attempting to kill one baby three times.
The court was told Letby developed an "unusual interest" in the parents of the alleged victims and in some cases tracked them on Facebook.
Litby denies 22 charges at Manchester Crown Court and the trial is expected to last six months.
