The jury in the trial of Lucy Letby, the nurse accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder ten more, have been told they can return majority verdicts.

The judge, Mr Justice Goss, gave the jury the direction on the 15th day of deliberations at Manchester Crown Court.

Ms Letby, a former neonatal nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital, is accused of attacking babies, by injecting them with air, poisoning them with insulin or overfeeding them, between June 2015 and June 2016.

The trial began on October 10 last year and the jury has heard ten months of evidence.

Last week a female member of the jury was discharged for what the judge said were “good personal reasons”.

Ms Letby from Hereford denies all the charges.

Addressing the jury at Manchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Goss said: “I am going to ask you to return to your deliberating room and continue with your deliberations and strive to reach unanimous verdicts.

“However, the time has now come when it is possible for me to accept verdicts upon which you are not all agreed, commonly referred to as majority verdicts.

“It must be by a majority of at least 10 of you, either 11-0 or 10-1.

“Nothing else will do.”