Lucy Letby sentenced to whole life order for the murder of babies on neonatal ward
Lucy Letby has been sentenced to a whole life order for the murder of seven babies on a neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016 after a nine-month trial.
The sentence means that Letby will not be eligible for parole and will spend the rest of her life in prison.
It is the same sentence that was handed down to Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens. She is only the third woman to be given a whole-life order.
Letby refused to attend court for her sentencing, where families shared their victim impact statements. But Justice Goss has requested she be issued with copies of the statements.
Delivering the sentence in Letby's absence, Justice Goss said: "You acted in a way that was completely contrary to normal human instincts. You deliberately harmed them intending to kill them.
"There is no doubt that you are intelligent and outwardly were a very conscientious and professional nurse which enabled you to repeatedly harm babies on the unit without arousing suspicion."
"The great majority of your victims suffered acute pain as a result of what you did to them. They all fought for survival...some sadly struggled in vain and died," Justice Goss also said, later adding: "There was a deep malevolence bordering on sadism in your actions."
Letby, 33 who was also found guilty of attempting to kill six more babies at the same hospital, is now known as the worst serial killer of children in modern British history.
She was found not guilty of two further counts of attempted murder, while the jury was undecided on a further six counts of attempted murder.
During the court hearing on Monday 21 August, families shared their victim impact statements.
"You thought it was your right to play God with our children's lives," said the parents of the twins Letby attacked (of which one died and the other survived), as reported by the BBC.
One mother said the murder of her son was "like something out of a horror story" while other parents said their surviving children (which Letby attempted to murder) are now disabled.
Letby previously indicated she did not intend to return to court in person or via video link from prison, which has transpired today and means she hasn't heard the victim impact statements.
A judge does have ‘reasonable’ force to call for a defendant to court, but prison officers don’t have the power to literally force them to be in attendance at the hearing. It has therefore been speculated whether officers could use “lawful enforcement” as a last resort to ensure Letby attended her sentencing. The case has sparked fierce debate as to whether the law should change to force defendants to be present for sentencing and victim impact statements, with families affected by Letby’s crimes or attempted crimes, as well as politicians, calling for a change in law to the British justice system to ensure defendants are made to be present when victims read their victim impact statements.
Families affected by Letby’s crimes or attempted crimes, as well as politicians, have called for a change in law to the British justice system to ensure defendants are made to be present when victims read their victim impact statements.
The lead consultant at the neonatal unit where Letby committed her heinous crimes told the BBC hospital bosses failed to investigate allegations against Letby, while the government has ordered an independent inquiry.
Police are reviewing the admissions of 4,000 babies to hospitals where Letby worked – but stress they are not investigating all of them.
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