British nurse jailed for killing seven babies lodges appeal

A British nurse jailed for life for murdering seven newborn babies and attempting to kill six others has lodged a legal bid to appeal her conviction, court officials said Friday, Sept. 15.

Staff at the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, confirmed an application had been received from Lucy Letby for permission to appeal against all her convictions.

Applications for permission to appeal against a lower crown court decision are typically considered by a judge without a hearing.

If this is refused, permission can still be sought at a full court hearing before two or three judges.

Letby, 33, was convicted last month of killing five baby boys and two baby girls, making her the UK's most prolific child serial killer in modern history. 

She was arrested following a string of deaths at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between June 2015 and June 2016.

She consistently denied all the charges. 

The jury in Letby's months-long trial cleared her of two counts of attempted murder and were unable to reach decisions on six other counts.

Prosecutors are expected to confirm whether or not they will seek a re-trial on those charges next week.

The government has announced an independent inquiry into her shocking case to examine how the concerns of clinicians were dealt with by the Chester hospital managers. (AFP)