Lucy Letby trial: Unusual finding in baby's X-ray, court hears

A enactment of state successful beforehand of the spine was an "unusual finding" connected the post-mortem X-ray of a babe allegedly murdered by caregiver Lucy Letby, her proceedings has heard.

Paediatric radiologist Dr Owen Arthurs said its quality was "consistent with, but not diagnostic, of aerial having been administered".

The caregiver has been accused of sidesplitting 7 babies and attempting to execution 10 others astatine Countess of Chester Hospital successful 2015 and 2016.

The 32-year-old denies 22 charges.

Ms Letby, 32, is accused of injecting aerial into the bloodstream of the newborn twin, referred to successful tribunal arsenic Child A, who died connected 8 June, a time aft his premature birth.

Jurors astatine Manchester Crown Court were told Dr Owen Arthurs, prof of radiology astatine London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, had been instructed to reappraisal X-rays taken of Child A, erstwhile live and aft death, arsenic good arsenic different babies successful the investigation.

Looking astatine 1 of the post-mortem X-rays, helium highlighted to the tribunal determination was state wrong the bowel, helium said a mean feature, and besides the heart.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson QC asked if determination was thing antithetic astir the X-ray.

Dr Arthurs replied: "You tin besides spot a enactment of state conscionable successful beforehand of the spine. That is an antithetic finding."

He said specified an representation would not beryllium seen successful deaths by earthy causes but had been documented successful cases of roadworthy postulation accidents and sepsis infection.

"In my sentiment this was an antithetic appearance. In the lack of immoderate different mentation this quality is accordant with, but not diagnostic, of aerial having been administered," helium said.

Dr Arthurs said helium could not accidental from the representation unsocial that an aerial embolism, a state bubble which enters a humor vessel, was the origin of Child A's death.

The tribunal antecedently heard that Child A did not person intravenous fluids for up to 4 hours connected 8 June earlier helium received glucose done a "long line" integrative conduit astatine 20:05, soon aft the Ms Letby came connected duty.

Earlier connected the displacement a cannula to a humor vas stopped working, followed by 2 failed attempts to correctly insert a catheter successful the belly button.

Dr Arthurs told the tribunal it was "possible" that state could person been introduced by 1 of those devices.

Mr Johnson asked: "Have you ever seen this overmuch state successful a babe that has not been explained?" to which Dr Arthurs replied: "Only successful 1 different case."

When Mr Johnson said: "One of the different children successful this case?", the doc replied: "That's right."

Dr Arthurs said helium based his sentiment connected a published peer-reviewed survey successful 2015 which looked astatine however communal it is that state occurs successful older children who person died, albeit with "very fewer babies" included successful the study.

He went connected to reappraisal the deaths of 500 infants astatine Great Ormond Street.

The radiologist besides reviewed the X-rays of Child A's duplicate sister, Child B, who Ms Letby is accused of sidesplitting by an injection of aerial connected the pursuing nighttime displacement astatine the neo-natal unit.

Dr Arthurs said helium recovered "no important abnormalities" connected her radiographic images, including connected a X-ray taken 40 minutes aft she suffered a abrupt collapse, which the prosecution accidental Ms Letby was liable for.

The nurse, primitively from Hereford, denies each the offences, which are said to person been committed betwixt June 2015 and June 2016.