Midwife faces court after being charged with manslaughter

Prosecution material is still to be filed in the long-running case against a former South Australian midwife charged with the manslaughter of two babies during home births.

Lisa Barrett was charged after a protracted investigation into the deaths of Tully Kavanagh in October 2011 and an unnamed baby in December 2012.

In the first case of its kind, the 50-year-old came before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday with the court told a significant amount of material had been handed over to the defence.

Defence counsel Mark Twiggs told the court that in June Barrett had not been involved with home births for some years and was now studying law at university

But a prosecutor said more material was still to be provided with the court scheduling October 12 for final declarations.

Barrett remains on bail with conditions including she not approach witnesses in the case, not engage in any activities associated with home birthing and not be present at any birth.

She relinquished her midwifery certificate in 2011 but continued to provide some services after that date.

In March 2014 the Health Practitioners Tribunal of South Australia banned her from working as a midwife, including the provision of almost any services to pregnant women and their babies.

Defence counsel Mark Twiggs told the court that in June Barrett had not been involved with home births for some years and was now studying law at university. 

The 50-year-old came before Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday with the court told a significant amount of material had been handed over to the defence

She relinquished her midwifery certificate in 2011 but continued to provide some services after that date