Lucy Letby trial: Plumber tells of sewage issues at hospital

Plumbers were called out “weekly” to fix drainage problems at the hospital where Lucy Letby is accused of killing babies, her murder trial has heard.

The 33-year-old is charged with murdering seven children and attempting to kill 10 others at Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Plumber Lorenzo Mansutti was the final witness to be called in the trial.

He agreed there had been problems with drainage in the women and children’s building, which was built in the 1960s.

Ms Letby, originally from Hereford, has been on trial at Manchester Crown Court since October last year and denies all the charges against her.

When questioned about how he would respond to an issue, Mr Mansutti said normally a call would come through to the helpdesk.

“We would attend immediately and try to rectify the issues as quickly as possible,” he said.

Ms Letby previously told jurors that the neonatal unit had problems with “raw sewage” coming out of some of the sinks.

She said it was a “potentially” unsafe environment “if the unit is dirty and staff are unable to wash their hands properly”.

Mr Mansutti told the jury about an incident in one of the unit’s nurseries.

“I don’t think I attended this particular one, it was my colleague,” he said.

“The drain system had backed up in the wash-hand basin. I guess it was foul water.”

When asked by Ms Letby’s defence barrister Ben Myers KC if this could mean “human waste” or sewage, he replied “yes”.

He told the court he was unable to recall precisely when this had happened.

Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC put it to Mr Mansutti that a report had not been logged for the incident.

“This incident did happen as it was discussed ‘how do we rectify this?'” Mr Mansutti told the court.

He said they had to “divert some sewage pipes away from the area”.

The jury was also shown a report from 26 January 2016 regarding a flood in the neonatal unit.

It told how another nursery had been “closed due to plumbing work/deep cleaning” after a member of staff noticed the floor was “completely flooded” at 02:30 GMT.

“Mixer tap was switched on and sink completely blocked. Domestic supervisor bleeped and informed of flooded floor,” the report read.

It also noted how the nursery was “almost completely flooded” again at 04:30.

Pressed further by Mr Johnson, Mr Mansutti said he was not aware any of issues meant there had been no hand-washing facilities in the neonatal unit.

“We have portable hand-washing facilities if it comes to that extreme,” he said.

Mr Mansutti’s evidence concluded the defence’s case.

Both the defence and prosecution are expected to give their closing statements next week after more than nine months of evidence.

The judge, Mr Justice James Goss, will then sum up the case before the jury are sent out to begin their deliberations.