A British nurse accused of murdering eight infants in a hospital unit has appeared in court. All of the infants were aged under one.

The accused, Lucy Letby (31) is charged with the murders of eight babies (five boys and three girls) and the attempted murders of 10 other children at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit.

Lucy appeared at Manchester Crown Court via video link on Monday.

Reportedly, she spoke only to confirm her name and that she could hear proceedings.

The near half-hour hearing dealt with administrative and case-management matters ahead of a trial next year.

However, she will remain in custody and is due to appear at the same court on 17 May.

She had previously been questioned by detectives for two days, while her Chester home in northwest England was searched.

State police has long been investigating the infant deaths and non-fatal collapses which occurred at the hospital.

The investigation bagan in 2017 after the hospital raised alarm because of the high number of deaths between March 2015 and July 2016.

An internal enquiry was undertaken when medics found premature babies had died following heart and lung failure.

The 31-year old was arrested in 2018 as part of a police investigation and released later.

Letby was then rearrested after further information was gathered in 2019.