A sheriff has offered her condolences to the parents of three babies who died within hours of being born as a fatal accident inquiry opened into their deaths.

Mirabelle Bosch was 12 hours and one minute old when she died at Wishaw General Hospital in North Lanarkshire on July 2 2021.

Ellie McCormick died at five hours old on March 5 2019 at the same hospital.

Leo Lamont was two hours old when he died at University Hospital Monklands, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, on February 15 2019.

A joint fatal accident inquiry is being held into their deaths after the Crown Office decided it was in the public interest to do so.

Speaking at Glasgow Sheriff Court as she opened the inquiry, Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar said: “The death of a child is an unimaginable and deeply tragic event in any parent’s life.

“I would like to commence this chapter of the inquiry as I commenced the first preliminary hearing, by again offering my deepest condolences to the parents of each child.

“I acknowledge that reliving the events, giving evidence to this court, and hearing the evidence of other witnesses, is likely to be a distressing and painful experience for you.

“I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can to allow you to fully participate in this inquiry.”

She said assistance is also available to anyone giving evidence at the inquiry, including medical staff.

She added: “It is important that I remind all present that the purpose of this inquiry is not to apportion blame.

“It is to establish the circumstances of the deaths of Mirabelle, Ellie and Leo and to consider what steps, if any, might be taken to prevent other children dying in similar circumstances.

“I wish to assure each of the parties present and represented here that if there are lessons to be learned, those will be identified.”

She said the joint inquiry will be split into three chapters, the first focusing on Mirabelle’s death, the second on Ellie and the third on Leo.

The inquiry continues.