Rishi Sunak hits out at 'cowardly' Lucy Letby as she refuses to attend court

The Prime Minister has labelled Lucy Letby as 'cowardly' after she refused to appear in court for her sentencing hearing. The former neonatal nurse is today due to find out her fate after being convicted of murdering seven babies, and trying to kill six others in her care.

Her sentencing hearing got underway earlier at Manchester Crown Court however Letby, 33, is not the dock, with prosecutor Nicholas Johnson KC saying she had 'refused to come into court' where statements from her victims' families are being read before the judge passes sentence.

Rishi Sunak was asked during a visit to a nursery in North Yorkshire whether the Government was too slow in changing the law to force her to be in the dock.

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He told broadcasters: “The first thing is to extend my sympathies to everyone affected by this. I think, like everyone reading about this, it’s just shocking and harrowing.

“Now, I think it’s cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims and hear first hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones.

“We are looking, and have been, at changing the law to make sure that that happens and that’s something that we’ll bring forward in due course.”

Judges have powers to order defendants to come to court prior to verdicts being delivered. If they fail to obey, they can be found in contempt of court and face up to two years in prison – but the law does not extend to sentencing hearings.

Earlier this year, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said the Government is “committed” to changing the law so criminals are compelled to attend their sentencing hearings.

Over the weekend,