Neonatal nurse Lucy Letby, 33, will spend the rest of her life in prison after being given a whole-life order at Manchester Crown Court for the murders of seven babies and attempted murders of six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Letby, the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history, refused to appear for her sentencing hearing. Cheryl Korbel, the mother of murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, has previously called for a law which compels convicted criminals to attend their sentencing. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the UK Government is looking at changing the law. The government has also announced an independent inquiry into Letby’s crimes, after it was revealed that the Countess of Chester Hospital ignored doctors’ warnings about the neo-natal nurse. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00 Nurse Lucy Letby has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of seven babies and
00:06 the attempted murder of six more. Mr Justice Goss handed down the sentence at Manchester
00:11 Crown Court on Monday. Letby carried out her crimes at the Countess of Chester Hospital
00:17 between 2015 and 2016 and is now the most prolific child serial killer in modern British
00:24 history. She refused to appear in the dock for her sentencing.
00:29 There was premeditation, calculation and cunning in your actions. You specifically targeted
00:38 twins and latterly triplets. Some babies were healthy, others had medical issues of which
00:46 you were aware. You have no remorse. There are no mitigating factors. In their totality,
00:55 the offences of murder and attempted murder were of exceptionally high seriousness and
01:02 just punishment, according to law, requires a whole life order.
01:09 The mother of child E, a premature born boy who died, and child F, his twin brother who
01:15 survived, told the court that Letby's refusal to appear was just one final act of wickedness
01:20 from a coward. Cheryl Corbell, the mother of murdered nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Corbell,
01:26 has previously called for a law which compels convicted criminals to attend their sentencing.
01:32 Olivia's murderer, Thomas Cashman, refused to be in court to hear the judge hand him
01:36 a life sentence in April. The government has said it is committed to changing the law.
01:42 I think it's cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims
01:49 and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families
01:53 and loved ones. We are looking and have been at changing the law to make sure that that
01:59 happens and that's something that we'll bring forward in due course.
02:02 The government has also announced an independent inquiry into Letby's crimes after it was revealed
02:07 that the Countess of Chester Hospital ignored doctors' warnings about the neonatal nurse.
02:13 However, there are calls for the inquiry to be led by a judge with the power to summon
02:17 witnesses. Cheshire Constabulary are now reviewing the care of some 4,000 babies at the Countess
02:23 of Chester Hospital, as well as Liverpool Women's Hospital, where Letby was trained.
02:28 Police have contacted more families to say that their children may be among Letby's victims.
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