📣 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 | Lucy Letby Sentenced to Whole Life Tariff

Hereford Voice · August 21, 2023

'Sadistic' Letby completely refused to leave cells to appear in court today for sentencing and to face the families of her victims as they read our their powerful impact statements.

Justice James Goss handed down the most severe sentence possible under British law to Letby after she was found guilty last week of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more at the Countess of Chester's neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.

The judge said before he passed sentence;

"The defendant has refused to attend court for this sentencing hearing. Accordingly, I have to sentence her in her absence,"

He said he will deliver his remarks "as if she was present to hear them".

"You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies," he says, adding that it was a "gross breach" of trust.

He said she deliberately harmed them, "intending to kill them".

"You relished being in the intensive care nursery," Mr Goss said.

"There was premeditation, calculation and cunning in your actions," he adds, telling the court that Letby particularly targeted twins and triplets.

Victims, he said, suffered "acute pain" and "all fought for survival".

"You took opportunities to harm babies when staff were in breaks or away from babies," he said, telling the court how she falsified medical records.

"The last thing anyone working in the unit would think is that someone caring for babies would deliberately harm them."