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For 10 months, the nondescript courtroom has been home to endless discussion, accusations and speculation, as lawyers sought to answer why seven young babies had suddenly collapsed and died in the place they should have been safest.

But in the moments before nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of their murders, there was only a thick silence in courtroom seven.

For the jury of 11 – seven women and four men – the weight on their shoulders was enormous. But after deliberating for more than 100 hours, the foreman quietly and steadily delivered its rulings.

For her victims’ parents, it has been an agonising and unimaginable wait. Many have stood at the court every day during jurors’ deliberations, waiting to learn if their children – who by now would have been approaching their final years of primary school – were among those targeted by Letby.

They have sat through graphic descriptions of their babies’ final moments, as the prosecution tried to prove Letby poisoned them, pumped them with excessive gas or milk, or violently assaulted them.

One of her victims, Child C, was found with an unexplained amount of air in his gut.

As Letby was found guilty of the baby boy’s murder, his mother sobbed and was comforted by those around her. His father stayed still, staring straight ahead.

Another parent clutched a stuffed rabbit to her face as she tried to hold back tears.

Read more: Follow live reaction from court

Lucy Letby
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Lucy Letby’s mugshot has now been released. Pic: Cheshire Constabulary

How the verdicts unfolded

Letby was found guilty of seven murders and the attempted murder of six others at the Countess of Chester hospital’s neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.

She was also found not guilty of two charges of attempted murder.

Sky News is one of just five news organisations that have been given a seat inside the trial, with the rest of the world’s media required to watch from the magistrates’ court across the road via a televised link.

All of the children and their parents have been granted anonymity, although their names were read out in the courtroom during the nine-month trial.

Strict reporting restrictions were put in place, which meant the media could not publish any of the verdicts until the jury had found on all counts.

First, after 76 hours of discussions, the jury unanimously found her guilty of the attempted murders of Children F and L.

They agreed with the prosecution that Letby had poisoned their IV drip bags with insulin on separate occasions, eight months apart.

Seated in the glass-fronted dock, Letby is now a shadow of the smiling, ordinary-looking woman pictured in media reports. She was in her mid-20s when she attacked her victims. She is now 33 and spent almost three years behind bars awaiting this trial.

Her once shiny blonde hair hung long and limp around her face, which is now gaunt and angular. Flanked by guards, as the first verdicts were read out, she bowed her head and wiped away tears.

Susan Letby, the mother of Lucy Letby arrives at Manchester Crown Court ahead of the verdict in the case of nurse Lucy Letby who is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of another ten, between June 2015 and June 2016 while working on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital. Picture date: Wednesday August 9, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story COURTS Letby. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire
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Susan Letby, the mother of Lucy Letby

Her mother, Susan, sobbed as her daughter was taken back to the custody area.

After the first two verdicts, the jury was ordered by the judge, Mr Justice Goss, to try to reach a majority decision on all other counts.

Three days later, the jury returned again and this time, quiet gasps accompanied each guilty verdict in the courtroom.

Letby was found guilty of murdering four of the infants and attempting to murder two more.

She remained emotionless, but as she stood to be taken back down to the cells her shoulders began to shake.

Susan broke down again – whispering “you can’t be serious, this can’t be right” into her husband’s arms – before howling as her only child was led out of court.

John and Susan Letby, the parents of nurse Lucy Letby, outside Manchester Crown Court
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John and Susan Letby, the parents of nurse Lucy Letby, outside Manchester Crown Court

Letby refused to come up from cells

A third set of verdicts came after the jury had been discussing the case for 99 hours and 38 minutes.

But this time, the dock was empty as Letby refused to leave the cells. In her absence, she was found guilty of a further three murders and three more attempts. With this, she surpassed Beverley Allitt and became the UK’s most prolific child murderer.

She was also found not guilty of one of the attacks on Child G, a baby girl.

One mother put her head in her hands and sobbed silently as Letby was found guilty of her child’s murder. Another gasped and then cheered quietly. Their relief was visible – like 15 people had just let go of one collective breath.

This time, John and Susan Letby were silent, resigned, and leant on each other with their eyes closed.

Exclusive: Mother fears Letby attacked her baby too

Pic: Shutterstock
Image:
Pic: Shutterstock

The final verdicts

Five hours of deliberation later, Letby was cleared of another attempted murder, again in her absence, and made it clear, via her defence barrister, she would not be returning to the courtroom under any circumstances – including for sentencing.

The following day, family members who had already received a verdict for their child returned to court, in a show of solidarity for those who had not.

But on six counts, the jury could not reach a decision.

The father of one child stormed out of the room, and several members of the jury cried, while others put their heads in their hands and looked down.

The jury was discharged from its service and sentencing was scheduled for Monday morning at 10am.

Both Letby and her parents were absent from court.

Court artist Elizabeth Cook drawing outside Manchester Crown Court ahead of the verdict in the case of nurse Lucy Letby who is accused of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of another ten, between June 2015 and June 2016 while working on the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital. Picture date: Friday August 11, 2023.
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Court artist Elizabeth Cook drawing outside Manchester Crown Court

The trial

The high-profile case against Letby contrasted with the unremarkable surroundings of courtroom seven at Manchester Crown Court, where the trial sat over for almost a year.

Unlike in the movies, there was no grand wooden interior – instead a small and fairly clinical space where defence barrister Ben Myers KC and Nick Johnson KC, for the prosecution, pored over medical notes, texts, photos and other evidence to make their arguments.

For most of the trial, Letby sat in a dock in front of prison guards, watching as her former friends gave evidence against her, her WhatsApp messages were read out, her Facebook searches revealed and the details of her horrendous crimes made public.

To the right of the dock sat the public gallery which was always filled with the parents of the victims, often teary-eyed but always stoic in their dedication to find out what had happened to their children.

Read more:
More families told their children could be victims
Inside court and the trial of a baby killer
Parents of boys Letby tried to kill criticise hospital
Video shows moment of Letby arrest

Lucy Letby Still 1 [IB1706]. Forensics shorthand

Letby’s parents were positioned in the gallery opposite, frequently making eye contact with their daughter as she was led from the room at the end of each day.

When she was called to give evidence in May, some seven months after the trial started, Letby sat at a small table with two guards on either side of her.

She mostly answered questions calmly but became emotional when photographs of her bedroom after a police search were shown to the court. She spoke quietly and was repeatedly told to raise her voice.

As she was cross-examined she repeatedly contradicted herself, muddling her story, and grew frustrated with the prosecution’s questions. She was accused of only crying for herself – something she denied.

J124 [IB1210]. Forensics shorthand

Justice at last for families changed forever

Letby’s fate rested in the hands of 12 ordinary men and women. Partway through deliberations, one had to be discharged for “good personal reasons”, reducing the number to 11.

For 10 months they have listened closely to everything that has been said, studiously making notes, the importance of this job not lost on any of them.

During one set of verdicts, a female member of the jury put her head down and cried, while her fellow jurors looked down at their desks.

No motive has ever been established, and perhaps it will never be known why the “evil” nurse chose to target defenceless infants.

Lucy Letby
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Lucy Letby

Families have been changed forever, and may never truly be able to come to terms with the loss of lives that had only just begun.

And now, Letby could likely face a record-breaking sentence.

For her victims’ families, her imprisonment may finally bring some small justice that has been eight years in the making.

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UK

Man suffers cardiac arrest onboard boat trying to reach UK

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Man suffers cardiac arrest onboard boat trying to reach UK

A man has died after suffering cardiac arrest onboard a boat attempting to reach the UK.

The vessel turned back towards Equihen beach on the French coast yesterday morning.

A nurse tried to resuscitate the man but was unsuccessful.

Pic: PA
Image:
Pic: PA

French authorities have now launched an investigation into the circumstances.

A spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, has criticised authorities on both sides of the Channel.

Jacob Burns said: “Yet again we have a tragedy in the Channel, that is the consequence of the deadly, costly and ineffective security policies implemented by the UK and France.”

Pic: PA
Image:
Pic: PA

Later on Saturday, a lifeboat carried migrants who have made the voyage into the Port of Dover.

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Photographs showed them huddled under blankets and orange life jackets on board.

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Protesters clash over asylum hotels

Provisional statistics from the Home Office suggest almost 24,000 people have arrived on small boats in the UK so far this year.

Towns and cities across the UK have seen protests in recent days, primarily outside hotels believed to be housing asylum seekers.

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UK

Women’s Euros final: The Lionesses face Spain tonight – and they’re seeking revenge

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Women's Euros final: The Lionesses face Spain tonight - and they're seeking revenge

Here the Lionesses are again. Another final. Another showdown with Spain.

All of a sudden, what was once so anticipated and longed for can start to seem expected rather than extraordinary.

What happened to the great underachievers of world football? They are now consistently among the final two going for glory.

England wins
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At Euro 2022, the Lionesses ended England’s 56-year wait for a major trophy by beating Germany 2-1 after extra time. Pic: Reuters

No one is taking that for granted.

Especially not Leah Williamson, with the chance to retain the European Championship trophy lifted three years ago at Wembley.

“The opportunity of tomorrow and what’s on offer is the best thing in football,” the England captain said. “I think we don’t necessarily carry the weight of it and how much it means to people, but we’re aware of it because it means the same to us.”

So often they were only watching other nations making finals.

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England’s first was the men winning the 1966 World Cup.

England v Spain: All you need to know

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Lionesses ‘know what win would mean to nation’

Then, with the rebirth of women’s football after bans and neglect, it was the Lionesses’ turn to make it to the finals – in 1984 and 2009.

And the Three Lions had to wait until 2021 to make it to a final, losing to Italy on penalties at Wembley.

It kickstarted an incredible run of five successive years of finals for England senior teams – with another men’s Euros final defeat in 2024.

The Lionesses have led the way, bringing football home by defeating Germany in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley.

They just missed out on going one better when reaching a first Women’s World Cup final a year later.

Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts REUTERS/Carl Recine
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England manager Sarina Wiegman reacts to defeat against Spain at the Women’s World Cup final in 2023. Pic: Reuters

Soccer Football - FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Spain v England - Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia - August 20, 2023 England's Lauren James looks dejected after losing the world cup final REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
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Lauren James looks dejected after their World Cup defeat, but is confirmed fit for Sunday’s revenge match against Spain. Pic: Reuters

Now, in Basel, comes the chance for revenge against Spain – even though no one in the England camp is saying that, publicly at least, in Switzerland.

Especially knowing how challenging a task it is coming up again against Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putella – the recent winners of football’s biggest individual honours.

England fans celebrate after England beat Italy at Women's Euro 2025. Pic: Reuters
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England fans celebrating after England beat Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters

Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Final - Fans in Manchester watch Spain v England - Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, Britain - August 20, 2023 England fans watch the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
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Given England’s history against Spain, it could be a nerve-wracking time for England fans. File pic: Action Images/Reuters

But this is Spain’s first Euros final.

And there is some fear from the world champions at England’s grit and resolve to produce comebacks late in the quarter-finals and semi-finals – with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang’s goals integral to the fightbacks.

England celebrate after defeating Italy in the Women's Euro 2025 semi-final. Pic: Reuters
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England celebrate their semi-final win against Italy to reach the finals. Pic: Reuters

Michelle Agyemang celebrates scoring her side's opening goal.
Pic: AP
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Michelle Agyemang has propelled England to the Euro 2025 final with two vital goals. Pic: AP

Spain captain Irene Paredes reflected yesterday on how the Lionesses can flip a result late on.

But she was also discussing how their World Cup win was tarnished by the on-pitch kiss that led to former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales being convicted of a sexual assault on striker Jenni Hermoso.

It sparked a wider clamour in Spain for improved rights and respect for women.

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Sarina Wiegman on the Euros final
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Spain’s players struggle for respect

“Since then [2023] we took big steps forward,” Paredes said.

“I think this idea is disappearing from society. I still believe we have to continue opening doors… we’re a reference for boys and girls in society, but we still have things to do.”

It is a reminder that while tonight is about collecting silverware, both England and Spain know that emerging as champions can drive further growth in women’s football back home.

Amid it all, they’ll try to savour just what reaching a final means and how rare they are – until recently for English and Spanish women.

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UK

Unlicensed Botox-like injections spark outbreak of disease many doctors have never treated

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Unlicensed Botox-like injections spark outbreak of disease many doctors have never treated

A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.

Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicensed anti-wrinkle injections.

She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.

Nicola Fairley
Image:
Nicola Fairley

“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.

“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”

Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.

Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.

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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”

Nicola Fairley
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Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product

It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.

Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.

Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.

It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.

The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.

Botulism

The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.

The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.

There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.

But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.

Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.

Steven Land
Image:
Dr Steven Land

‘It’s the Wild West’

Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.

He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.

“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.

“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.

“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”

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Botulism

Dr Land showed us messages that he says he gets on a weekly basis, from sellers trying to push him cheap, unlicensed products.

They advertise “limited time offers” and cheap bundles on toxins imported from overseas. He calls them “drug dealers”.

“They are preying on the lack of knowledge among non-medical practitioners,” he says.

Consultations on how to regulate the aesthetics industry have been ongoing for years – but so far, no changes have been introduced.

The UK government now says it does plan to regulate certain procedures, but it’s not said how it will do this, or when.

“What will it take?” Nicola says. “One of the women we were with did almost die – she had to be resuscitated.”

Nicola’s beautician has stopped responding to her messages, so she says she still has no idea what the product was “or how much of it is in me”.

She doesn’t know how long her symptoms will last, but just hopes she will eventually recover.

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