A mother has said she fears Lucy Letby spiked her baby's insulin levels in revenge for a complaint she made after the killer nurse told her 'not to get her hopes up', as she was today found guilty of seven murders and six attempted murders.

Lynsey Artell gave birth to her son Asa in March 2016, during nurse Letby's killing spree in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where she was also a nurse.

Letby today became the most prolific baby killer in modern British history after a jury found her guilty of murdering seven premature babies and trying to take the lives of six more between June 2015 and June 2016.

She said that Letby made an 'inappropriate' comment as she was discussing the health of her premature baby, who was not a victim in the court case, telling the mother 'we never know what could happen at this stage'.

The next day Ms Artell returned to the hospital to find doctors giving her son urgent treatment after he had a huge spike in his insulin levels. She now fears that Letby was responsible for nearly killing her son, who was 'half an hour way from death', in an act of revenge.

Children's nurse Lucy Letby (pictured in a custody photo) today became the most prolific baby killer in modern British history

She was guilty of murdering seven premature babies and trying to take the lives of six more between June 2015 and June 2016

Ms Artell told Sky News that she was having a conversation with her husband about how their son was getting on when Letby, who had overheard the conversation, came over.

She said while Letby was not Asa's nurse and was covering another person on break, she interrupted their conversation.

The killer nurse told them: 'I don't like parents getting their hopes up because we never know what could happen at this stage.'

Ms Artell said: 'As a parent I absolutely erupted and was like furious. I was like "how dare you take that hope away from me".

'And then as a professional, I'm saying to the matron and to herself that it was competely inappropriate. You can't speak to people like that.'

The next day she returned to her room after going to grab a coffee and was told that her three-day old baby had a huge spike in his insulin levels and was receiving urgent treatment.

She was told that, as an insulin diabetic herself, that could be the reason behind her child's sudden collapse.

But she said she now has doubts over whether this was the case. 'He was starved of oxygen and he was three days old. How would he have insulin levels so high when I'm not passing him anything?'

Letby - wearing a blue hoodie with the strings covered in pink glitter - is taken from her house in handcuffs after being arrested by Cheshire Police in July 2018

Letby steps into the police car - telling officers to be careful because she had just had knee surgery

'I know that the blood gases that were done on Asa, he wasn't getting anything from the placenta from me and hadn't been for a long time.

'I stopped taking insulin on the day he was born and three days later he's got a level of someone who's just taken insulin. How has that happened?'

The trial heard that Letby used insulin as one of her attack methods.

Police investigated the incident 'a couple of times' but 'couldn't find any evidence of malpractice'.

Ms Artell said that she would like the case to be looked into again by police.

Police announced there will be a review of the 4,000 babies Letby cared for during her nursing career, as the government confirmed an urgent enquiry is to take place in the case.

But Ms Artell is now 'extremely suspicious' that Letby may have tried to harm her son in revenge for complaining about her comments the day before.

She said that she thought the killer nurse seemed 'odd' and a 'bit of a loner' and refused to Letby take care of her child after the incident.

Ms Artell thinks that there are still a lot of people like her whose children may have also been harmed by Letby and while today's verdict 'is great' for the families invovled, 'it does not bring anyone back'.

Letby being quizzed in July 2018 by an officer about the rise in deaths on her watch. Letby replies: 'They told me there had been a lot more deaths and I'd been linked as someone who had been there for a lot of them.' Asked if she was concerned about the rise in mortality, Letby says - meekly - 'yes'

Letby appeared 'animated and excited' after each murder, offering to bathe, dress and take photographs of her victims' bodies

Ms Artell said she also feels 'guilty' that she may have 'driven her on' to attack her son 'out of anger'.

'It's horrific to think of because you wouldn't think that anybody would be capable of that.'

Seven years on after the incident, Asa is now happy and healthy, but Ms Artell admitted that she feels a sense of 'survivor's guilt' because of this.

'You feel almost ashamed to say how you feel because they're alive.

'We were lucky and we should be lucky because they're alive. And I know that. But it still affects you.'

Police are now reviewing the care of 4,000 babies Letby may have come into contact with during a spell at the Countess of Chester Hospital from January 2012 to the end of June 2016 and two work placements at Liverpool Women's Hospital in 2012 and 2015.

Cheshire Police emphasised that only those cases highlighted as medically concerning would be investigated further and said the review at Liverpool Women's Hospital does not involve any deaths.

Detective Superintendent Paul Hughes, the senior investigating officer in the case, said: 'This does not mean we are investigating all 4,000.'

He admitted he could not say how many other active cases there are but added: 'There are cases where we've told parents.'

Letby was initially praised by doctors as good in a crisis - but they soon grew concerned

Letby used to create 'crisis situations' so she could spend time with a doctor who she was said to be having an affair with (Pictured is the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit where Letby went on a killing spree)

Police Family Liaison Officer Janet Moore (right) reads out a family statement outside Manchester Crown Court today. Also pictured is Pascale Jones from the CPS and DCI Nicola Evans

Members of the Cheshire Police investigation team embrace following this afternoon's verdicts - which came after a ten-month trial

Letby's parents, Susan and John, arrive at Manchester Crown Court on August 18

In a statement responding to the verdict earlier today, medical director at the Countess of Chester Hospital, Dr Nigel Scawn, said: 'I speak for the whole Trust when I say how deeply saddened and appalled we are at Lucy Letby’s crimes.

Letby becomes the worst baby killer in modern British history Letby's crimes put her close to the top of the list of notorious serial killers – ahead of Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, who killed five children in Manchester in the early 1960s; nurse Beverly Allitt, who killed four of her child patients in 1991, and Robert Black, who raped and murdered four young girls in the early 1980s. She also becomes the second worst female serial killer of all time behind Rose West, who is serving a whole life tariff for the murders of 10 young girls, including her eight-year-old step-daughter. Amelia Dyer, a Victorian baby farmer, is estimated to have killed 400 infants over a 30 year period. However, she was only ever found guilty of one murder. The UK's worst ever serial killer was Dr Harold Shipman, who used his position as a family GP to murder an estimated 250 patients. Advertisement

'We are extremely sorry that these crimes were committed at our hospital and our thoughts continue to be with all the families and loved ones of the babies who came to harm or died. We cannot begin to understand what they have been through.

This case has had a profound impact on our patients and our local community and also our staff - who come to work every day determined to provide safe and high-quality care for our patients.

'Our staff are devastated by what happened and we are committed to ensuring lessons continue to be learnt.

'We are grateful for the cooperation of our staff, especially those who have maintained the utmost professionalism whilst giving evidence in the trial, sometimes on multiple occasions.

'We will continue to support them and other staff to ensure they receive the care and support they need.

'We would like to extend our thanks to Cheshire Police for their extensive investigation and the work they did to bring this case to trial.

'We’d also like to thank them for the comprehensive support they have provided to all of the families.

'Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services. I want to provide reassurance that every patient who accesses our services can have confidence in the care they will receive.

'And, most importantly, our thoughts are with all the families and loved ones at this very difficult time.'

After deliberating for more than 110 hours, the Letby jury found her guilty of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of six more.

They were unable to reach a verdict on counts relating to four babies: babies H, J, K and Q.

After Lucy Letby was found guilty of offences at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit in 2015 and 2016, the families of her victims released a joint statement.

It was read out by police family liaison co-ordinator Janet Moore outside Manchester Crown Court, and this is it in full: 'Words cannot effectively explain how we are feeling at this moment in time. We are quite simply stunned.

'To lose a baby is a heart-breaking experience that no parent should ever have to go through. But to lose a baby or to have a baby harmed in these particular circumstances is unimaginable.

'Over the past seven/eight years we have had to go through a long, torturous and emotional journey.

Letby in the dock at Manchester Crown Court on the morning of August 10

A note found in Letby's house which read in capital letters: 'I AM EVIL I DID THIS'

In another note, Letby had scribbled a jumble of words, with phrases like 'love', 'I can't do this anymore' and 'help me' written on it

While Letby's motive is not clear, the prosecution suggested she got a 'thrill' out of 'playing God'. She is pictured on a night out

'From losing our precious new-borns and grieving their loss, seeing our children who survived - some of whom are still suffering today, to being told years later that their death or collapse might be suspicious. Nothing can prepare you for that news.

'Today, justice has been served and a nurse who should have been caring for our babies has been found guilty of harming them. But this justice will not take away the extreme hurt, anger and distress that we have all had to experience. Some families did not receive the verdict that they expected and therefore it is a bittersweet result.

'We are heartbroken, devastated, angry and feel numb. We may never truly know why this happened.

'Words cannot express our gratitude to the jury who have had to sit through 145 days of gruelling evidence, which has led to today's verdict - we recognise that this has not been an easy task for them and we will forever be grateful for their patience and resilience throughout this incredibly difficult process.

'The police investigation began in 2017 and we have been supported from the very beginning by a team of experienced and dedicated family liaison officers. We want to thank these officers for everything they have done for us.

'Medical experts, consultants, doctors and nursing staff have all given evidence at court, which at times has been extremely harrowing and distressing for us to listen to.

'However, we recognise the determination and commitment that each witness has shown in ensuring that the truth was told. We acknowledge that the evidence given by each of them has been key in securing today's verdict.

'Finally we would like to acknowledge and thank the investigation team and, more recently, the prosecution team who have led the trial to a successful conclusion.

'The search for the truth has remained at the forefront of everyone's minds and we will forever be grateful for this.

'We would now ask for time in peace to process what has happened as we come to terms with today's verdict.'

The Government has now ordered an independent inquiry into the circumstances behind the murders and attempted murders of babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital after the conviction of Letby.

The Department of Health said the inquiry will investigate the wider circumstances around what happened at the hospital, including the handling of concerns and governance, and will also look at what actions were taken by regulators and the wider NHS.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: 'I would like to send my deepest sympathy to all the parents and families impacted by this horrendous case.

'This inquiry will seek to ensure the parents and families impacted get the answers they need. I am determined their voices are heard, and they are involved in shaping the scope of the inquiry should they wish to do so.

'Following on from the work already underway by NHS England, it will help us identify where and how patient safety standards failed to be met and ensure mothers and their partners rightly have faith in our healthcare system.'