Lucy Letby denies trying to harm any baby in her care

Baby K was later transferred to a specialist hospital because of her extreme prematurity.

She died three days later, although the prosecution does not allege Letby caused her death.

Letby, originally of Hereford, denies a single count of attempted murder.

Opening the case, prosecutor Nick Johnson KC alleged Letby was also responsible for two further desaturations of Baby K during the same shift in a bid to give her colleagues the impression the infant was habitually displacing her own breathing tube.

Mr Myers said: “The allegation is that some time after 6.10am [Baby K] has a desaturation which you caused by interfering with the tube. Did you do that?”

Letby said: “No, I didn’t.”

Mr Myers said: “Did you try to interfere with her tube to make it look like she was unwell and desaturating for no apparent reasons?”

Letby said: “Absolutely not.”

Mr Myers said: “To try to cover your tracks?”

“No,” said Letby.

Mr Myers then went through Letby’s answers to detectives when she was questioned about Baby K following her arrest.

The barrister asked Letby about a detective asking her, ‘Explain what you were doing when Dr Jayaram walked into the nursery’.

Mr Myers continued: “The question is put to you like a fact. Had you actually agreed you were there in the first place?”

“No,” Letby replied.

Mr Myers continued quoting a detective’s question to Letby, telling the court they said: “Tell me what would have happened if Dr Jayaram had not walked in when you were stood by the incubator.”

He asked Letby: “Have you ever agreed there was ever a time when he walked in to see you stood by the incubator?”

Letby replied: “No.”

Mr Myers said: “Do you remember anything like that happening?”

“No,” Letby replied again.

Mr Myers said the police officer then asked Letby why she did not “call for help” when the baby’s oxygen levels began to fall.

He continued: “Were you agreeing you were there in the first place to call for help?”

“No,” Letby again said.

Mr Myers asked why Letby had suggested Baby K may have “self corrected” with time after her oxygen levels had dropped.

Letby said: “I was trying to be helpful at the time. They were asking me questions, which I believed were factually correct.”

Mr Myers said: “Do you accept you were in the nursery not helping [Baby K]?”

Letby replied: “No, I don’t.”