Lucy Letby has lost the first stage of the process to appeal against her seven convictions.
Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another six at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016. She was sentenced to a whole life prison term.
The nurse applied to the court of appeal for permission for her case to be heard there. Her application was reviewed by a single judge who has denied her that permission.
She now has 14 days to decide whether to apply again, for a public hearing before a panel of three judges who would be asked to consider whether she has sufficient grounds for an appeal case to be heard.
Lucy Letby is still facing a retrial on one count of attempted murder, which the jury in her trial was unable to reach a verdict on. That trial is scheduled to begin in June in Manchester.
