Lucy Letby: Appeal bid to be heard by judges in April

Lucy Letby's bid to appeal against all of her convictions for murdering and attempting to murder babies will be heard in court in April.

The nurse's case will be considered by a panel of judges at a public hearing.

Letby was convicted of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of another six at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

She lodged her appeal application shortly after her trial ended.

The 34-year-old, originally from Hereford, was turned down at the first stage, when a single judge reviewed her case papers.

Letby is now entitled to a full court hearing, set for 25 April, before three judges, at which her barrister will argue for the right to an appeal.

If she is granted permission, an appeal hearing will be set by the court for a separate date.

If she loses, it will be the end of the appeal process for her.

The offences took place at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit where Letby worked.

On sentencing in August last year, Letby was given multiple whole-life terms - one for each offence - becoming only the fourth woman in UK history to receive such a sentence.

Separately, Letby is facing a retrial in June on one count of attempted murder, which the jury in her trial was unable to reach a verdict on.

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