and has destroyed their lives. i think it's cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims and hear first—hand the impact that the crimes that had on them and theirfamilies and loved ones. welcome to bbc news, you join me live outside manchester crown court where just in the last hour, the judge mrjustice goss who has provided over the case of lucy letby for almost ten months has really concluded that legal process bypassing the sentence on the convicted killer of children. she is now the most prolific killer of children in british legal history. we now know the 33—year—old nurse from hereford lucy letby wills and the rest of her life in prison as a result of the murders and attempted murder she carried out while working as a nurse on the neonatal unit at the countess of chester hospital. we have heard over a period of months harrowing evidence from the parents of victims, we have heard about lucy letby�*s particularly cruel and calculating offending, the methods which are used to kill children in her care, sometimes by injecting them with air into their bloodstream, sometimes by poisoning them with insulin, sometimes by overfeeding them with milk. and the judge really talked today about the way that she had carried out a campaign of enormously cruel, criminal activity. campaign of enormously cruel, criminalactivity. he campaign of enormously cruel, criminal activity. he talked about the pain that each of those babies will have suffered at the moment of death or when they were having those sudden and inexplicable acute medical episodes. he talked about the pain that lucy letby had inflicted on those babies, the physical pain, but also the pain that she had inflicted on the families of those victims as well. and we heard very emotive, very harrowing victim impact statements delivered in court this morning, some of those parents choosing to read those out themselves, others are choosing to have it read out on their behalf, when they really talked about the toll that this period of many years. remember, this happened in 2015 and 2016, the parents have had to deal with this for many, many years and today at the conclusion of this legal process, they saw the convicted murderer lucy letby be told not in person, she was told by her legal representatives because she refused to appear in the dock. but she now knows that she will not be released from prison. and this is what the judge mrjustice goss had to say in those sentencing remarks. lucy letby, on each of the seven offences of murder and the seven offences of attempted murder, i sentence you to imprisonment for life. because the seriousness of your offences is exceptionally high, i direct that the early release provisions do not apply. the order of the court, therefore, is a whole life order on each and every offence, and you will spend the rest of your life in prison. thejudge also explained the judge also explained in detail why he had chosen to hands down that whole life order. murder carries a mandatory life sentence. but those whole life orders are not used very often, they are reserved for the most serious offenders, people who have shown no remorse for their crimes, people who it's believed may potentially offend again in the future. but mrjustice goss was very clear that for all of those crimes that lucy letby committed, she would serve a whole life order. i think one of the reasons why that became acutely apparent is the importance of this to the families of those victims. and they delivered those victims. and they delivered those victim impact statements in court this morning, talking about how they had lived through the death of their children and in some cases their babies dying in their arms and the impact that has had on their lives over the subsequent years until this trial actually came to court. nick garnett sent this report. lucy letby, convicted of murdering seven babies, and attempting to kill six more. and yet, today, at her sentencing, this was not about her. this was the families�* time. after a ten—month trial, a chance to tell the world about their babies, and their lives. letby�*s victims have to stay anonymous. first to speak today was the mother of baby c, who was four days old when letby killed him by injecting air into his stomach. "the trauma of that night will live with us forever. knowing his murderer was watching us was like something out of a horror story." baby d was just two days old when she died. her mother held a toy rabbit as she spoke. "my heart broke into a million pieces when she lost her battle for life, and it unleashed hell." letby, a nurse at the neonatal unit at the countess of chester hospital, killed and attacked tiny babies over a 12—month period. consultants on the unit had warned management about her involvement. there are no questions about the delays in moving her from clinical care and the time it took to call in the police. today, alison kelly, who was the director of nursing at the hospital at the time, was suspended from her current nhsjob. a public inquiry into letby�*s crimes has been announced. what form it will take, and its powers, has still to be decided. what's really important right now is to make sure we get the inquiry right, and we make sure that people, you know, the parents who faced these horrific crimes are getting the justice that they need, not only in the court with letby, but also from the inquiry as well. letby was driven to court from prison in wakefield for the last time today, arriving shortly before her hearing was due to begin. during letby�*s trial, the court was told that every time there was an unexpected death or a baby collapsed, letby had been there, in person. today, at sentencing, she wasn't. she stayed in the basement below the court in her cell, refusing to come to court. let's bring in lucy grey. mrjustice goss handing life order, describing in real minute detail often the crimes that she had committed. he minute detail often the crimes that she had committed.— minute detail often the crimes that she had committed. he made a point of specifically — she had committed. he made a point of specifically addressing _ she had committed. he made a point of specifically addressing the - of specifically addressing the deaths of the attempted murders of each of those babies. he talked about them by name, he referred to the families, he very much made sure the families, he very much made sure the people at the heart of this new that their ordeal... when that sentence was handed down, that that had been taken into consideration. my had been taken into consideration. my colleague lucy grey has also been following this trial at manchester crown court. he started, this was a three—part process where he talked about the families and the baby specifically, he passed down the centre remarks and also at the beginning, he really condensed, he crystallised the entire period of this trial and what we have learnt about lucy letby and about the crime she committed?— she committed? yes, he did. he started off _ she committed? yes, he did. he started off by — she committed? yes, he did. he started off by talking _ she committed? yes, he did. he started off by talking in - she committed? yes, he did. he started off by talking in general. started off by talking in general terms, talking about how she acted in a way that was contrary to natural human instincts. he talked about how first of all, she had prided herself in her competence. but then he talked about the methods that she used. he talked about these methods she used for murderous intent which were only revealed later by a detailed investigation. he talked about the majority of her victims suffering acute pain and talked about how they all fought for survival. he also said, you cruelly and callously made inappropriate remarks to grieving families. throughout this trial, we heard about how she wrote a condolence note to one of the families, she had taken a photo of that and kept it on her phone. we also heard she had searched for them online and she made comments to them after the deaths about their babies. and we also heard how she washed one of the babies afterwards and we heard in the impact statements about how upsetting this was for the parents. and the judge went on to talk about how she had a fascination with the parents of these babies. he mentioned these notes found at her home, handwritten notes the police found when they search our property which she said things like, i am evil, i did this. she had the word hate in capital letters written on them and talked about how the world would be better off without me. and also, how they had found the handover notes from her shifts in the hospital in this neonatal unit at her home in thejudge the hospital in this neonatal unit at her home in the judge said that he was satisfied that they were morbid records of her deeds. he talked about the impact of these deaths being immense. he talked about life long calm, saying that she had robbed loving parents of their cherished children and caused deep psychological trauma, brought grief and strained relations and siblings would have to live without brothers and sisters. you talk to about this case asks one question, what on earth would drive someone to do such evil crimes? the judge talking bout that's it, it is not for me to come to conclusions about the reasons for this. he said, i couldn't. these are known only to you. but during the case, we heard from the prosecution talking about how she enjoyed the control, she enjoyed feeling like she was acting like god. in some of the parents of talked about that today in their statements that we heard in court, the victim impact statements. talking about how she didn't come to court to hear some of the verdicts and how she was not there today to hear the sentencing. 0ne and how she was not there today to hear the sentencing. one of the mothers of the twin babies, baby e and f1 baby was murdered injuly 2015 and there was attempted murder against the other and it has now got complex needs. the mother said, we are living with a life sentence because of the crimes of lucy letby. she said even in these final days of the trial, she tried to control things. the disrespect she has shown the families in the court show what type of person she is. we have attended court day in and day out, yet she decided she has had enough and stays in her cell. 0ne yet she decided she has had enough and stays in her cell. one final act of wickedness from a coward. i would like to thank lucy for taking the stand and showing the court what she is really like, only when the nice lucy mask slips. it was honestly the best thing she could have done to ensure our boys got the justice they deserved. it has been a really emotional day in court for the families, reading through all of these impact statements and hearing what they have been through for all of these years and over the last ten months of this trial. and you just hope that may be today peasant sentence, this whole life sentence and the knowledge she will never be released gives them some sort of comfort. ., ~ , ., ., ~ ., comfort. thank you, and i think that is particularly _ comfort. thank you, and i think that is particularly important _ comfort. thank you, and i think that is particularly important point. - is particularly important point. because the families knew that they were sitting in that courtroom, they knew that lucy letby was in this building. they knew she was here at manchester crown court, they knew she had been brought from prison, as she had been brought from prison, as she has throughout this trial. but they knew that she had exercised her right not to sit in the dock and she was instead in the holding cells here at manchester crown court. and of course, the sentencing hearing today for lucy letby is the latest in a series of recent high—profile events where convicted murderers have refused to appear in the dock for their sentencing. they include the sentencing in the case of 35—year—old zara aleena. she was a, bright aspiring lawyer, attacked while walking home from a bar in east london. her aunt — farah naz — said the sentencing would have been the murderer�*s opportunity to be "human" and to "face his actions". his absence, she said, was "a slap in the face". nine—year—old schoolgirl 0livia pratt—korbel was shot by a masked gunman inside her liverpool home. olivia's mother, cheryl, said the fact that her family had to re—live the pain of olivia's death, but the offender could choose to opt out of the sentencing, was a "kick in the teeth". and 28—year—old sabina nessa was murdered in a park in south—east london. she was a much—loved primary school teacher. her older sister, jabina islam, called the murderer — who again refused to appear — a "coward". taking these incidents together, these convicted murderers who refused to appear in the dock to hear their sentencing, it has put pressure on the government to change the law from the way it exists at the law from the way it exists at the moment to give extra powers for judges to be able to compel a convicted murderer to sit in the dark matter face often the families of the victim and to hear the sentencing remark the judge of the victim and to hear the sentencing remark thejudge is making —— to sit in the dock and face. the prime minister rishi sunak was asked about that today. the first thing is to extend my sympathies to everyone affected. i think like everyone reading about this, it is just shocking and harrowing. i think it is currently 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 we will bring forward in due course. should hospital managers be as accountable as doctors and nurses? well we're setting up an inquiry that will look into everything that happened in this case and it's important that that inquiry, first and foremost, gets the answer that families need, ensures that we can learn the lessons from what happened, is conducted transparently, and happens as quickly as possible. so that's the inquiry that we'll set up and make sure that we deliver on those objectives. on that inquiry, should we have a judge—led statutory inquiry? well, i think the important thing for the inquiry to do is make sure that families get the answer that they need. that it's possible for us to learn the lessons from what happened. everything conducted transparently, and to happen as quickly as possible. those are the objectives that we want for the inquiry and we'll make sure it is set up to deliver on those aims. the prime minister rishi sunak responding to that increasingly, particularly today, given this is the latest in a series of incidents of convicted murderers row —— refusing to appear in court for sentencing of the increasing pressure on the government to try and change the law. and the leader of the labour party, sir keir starmer, has responded too. well, my thoughts are with the victims' families and the anger and frustration that i know they feel at fact that she won't face justice in the way that she should. when i was director of public prosecutions, i saw for myselfjust how important it is for families to see the defendant in the dock being sentenced, an integral part of the way that we do justice in this country. now, this isn't the first case, we've had other cases. the 0livia case up in liverpool, and other cases where this has happened. i think that we should change the law. we've made an open offer to the government, if they come forward with the proposal to change the law, we will support it. i think they reallyjust need now to get on with it, so thatjustice can be seen to be done. that is the labour leader keir starmer. danny sure is a former bbc correspondent who has covered many cases like this one. —— danny shaw. let's take this back to basics. there are a number of things, a number of details which are really enshrined in the process. the idea that you are tried by a jury of your peers, the idea that members of the public can watch a trial taking place. how important in all of that is the idea that a convicted offender should be present to hear the sentence?— offender should be present to hear the sentence? well, the person that has been convicted, _ the sentence? well, the person that has been convicted, the _ the sentence? well, the person that has been convicted, the defendant, | has been convicted, the defendant, has been convicted, the defendant, has the right to a fair trial. and it should be a trial that is conducted in public, in open court. but there is no law that can compel them to attend court, particularly for their sentencing. and there are cases in which trials take place with the defendant absent. for example, if they are a fugitive. that has happened and they can be convicted and sentenced in their absence. that is rare, but it does happen. what we have seen recently is a trend where people who have been found guilty then refuse to comply with court procedures and they don't come to court for the sentencing. so they sort of have played the part while the jury has been there and while the jury is considering the case and whether or not they are guilty or not. as soon as they are convicted, they then stop any cooperation and they don't come to court. no, it is very hard to see how you can physically drag someone into a court room and keep them there. and that is not really, when you actually think about it, that would completely destroy the purpose of those proceedings if that person was kicking and screaming and literally shouting from the dock while the proceedings were going on, you would have to remove them. because then the proceedings become all about them. and particularly today. what we have seen is that these proceedings are about the impact of lucy letby�*s crimes on the families of the babies who died or almost died. and that has been so, so important. and if it was all about lucy letby in the dock screaming or shouting or refusing to listen, the proceedings would be all about her. so i don't think you can have a law that compels someone to attend. but what you could do is have a law which really forces someone to come and if they don't attend, then there would be a punishment. either years added to their sentence or potentially privileges removed from them or withheld from them when they are in prison. that is a possibility. in the case of lucy letby, you cannot add years to her sentence, you could potentially have had a law in place that certain privileges are removed from her while she is in custody. that is the only way i can see it working. that is the only way i can see it workinu. ~ ., that is the only way i can see it workinu. ~ . ., ~ working. what about something like when peeple. _ working. what about something like when people, when _ working. what about something like when people, when they _ working. what about something like when people, when they begin - working. what about something like when people, when they begin as i working. what about something like when people, when they begin as a | when people, when they begin as a suspect and eventually until they become defendants, when people are interviewed by the police, that process is often videoed and the judge said today he wanted his sentencing remarks and those victim impact statements to be handed to lucy letby. at some point, a member of her legal team, somebody has to tell her what that sentences. what about some kind of facility for that to be filmed and shown to the family that just to be filmed and shown to the family thatjust moving too far into the realms of complexity and impracticality? realms of complexity and imracticali ? ., , ~ impracticality? personally, ithink it is moving _ impracticality? personally, ithink it is moving too _ impracticality? personally, ithink it is moving too far— impracticality? personally, ithink it is moving too far into _ impracticality? personally, ithink it is moving too far into those - it is moving too far into those realms. i mean, the court is the open space, that is the public part of the hearing. obviously, there are video links so defendants and some witnesses in cases don't have to be present in the courtroom. but the idea of filming it when she receives the notes, what if she doesn't read them? are you going to make her read those notes from the hearing, are you going to force her? i think this is really getting away from the objective, really. there are certain measures you can take to try and ensure that the defendant is there in court. but at the end of the day, you can't physically drag them into court or physically make them read those notes or see the hearing. i mean, it is an idea you video and you take the proceedings today and you take the proceedings today and you show a tape to lucy letby or whoever has been convicted. that is possible. but this is an important part of the procedure. a very important part. but the really important part. but the really important part. but the really important part that the trial took place, that it was properly conducted, the right decision was reached, the right punishment has been imposed and that a thorough review and inquiry takes place to establish what exactly happens, the circumstances behind it and lessons to be learnt for the future. and whether lucy letby was guilty of other crimes, which is certainly, it would appearfrom reports, that might be a possibility. would appear from reports, that might be a possibility.— would appear from reports, that might be a possibility. danny, thank ou ve might be a possibility. danny, thank you very much _ might be a possibility. danny, thank you very much indeed, _ might be a possibility. danny, thank you very much indeed, danny - might be a possibility. danny, thank you very much indeed, danny shaw. might be a possibility. danny, thank. you very much indeed, danny shaw. a former bbc correspondent and now an independent crime and justice commentator. now that the legal part of this particular proceeding has concluded, lucy letby has been sentenced and she has been told the judge has handed her a whole life order in the case of each of those crimes she has been convicted of. there are really two key themes moving forward. one that holiday—maker was talking about, the convicted murderers can choose not to be in court to hear the sentencing —— danny shaw. the men will make parliamentary time to discuss what will be said in that time and what is the best way forward —— the government will make time. the other issue that will continue for weeks and months and probably years is further investigations into lucy letby�*s criminal behaviour and her offending. because the trial at manchester crown court covered a 12 month period from june 2015 tojune 2016, but it does not cover the entirety of her nursing career and we have already been told by cheshire police they have started investigating places she worked previously, otherjobs she has done as a nurse, they will look back at unexplained baby deaths that happened when she was on shift. there is a lot of important work still to be done. and i spoke a little earlier to steve brian mp, the chair of the health and social care committee for the house of commons. he began by paying tribute to the families who have had to endure such an ordeal over these last months and years. this whole thing is tragic, first and for most, it is a tragedy for the families whose children are either severely damaged or will not grow to be the children they are today. it is a tragedy for everyone concerned, it is a waste of life. i said yesterday on the bbc and i repeat it today, i think the ramifications of this for society and for the health system will be very, very long reaching. just my otherfinal initial very, very long reaching. just my other final initial reaction. i think many people in the country will share. think many people in the country willshare. i think many people in the country will share. i think it is an absolute disgrace that she wasn't there to face up to what she has done. and we welcome i hope, change the law to make sure that defendants do hear exactly what is said to them. whether that be through the use of technology or whether that be in the dock in person. and we have to find a way that they don't exert control over the sentencing process. make it all about them. but they should face what they have done. and it is a disgrace that lucy letby didn't today. as we have been reflecting all morning, trying to bring you as much as possible of those victim impact statements to really put the families of those babies, those children at the heart of all of this. because of course, they are the people at the front of mind today. we have talked about lucy letby�*s colleagues, the jury, today. we have talked about lucy letby�*s colleagues, thejury, the many people who have had to sit through all of this evidence. but i think in those victim impact statements, you really got a sense of the way that this impacts their whole lives, their memories. surviving children, surviving siblings. we talked about it affecting marriages and we heard from some of those parents describing how they even consider taking their own lives. in the case of one parent, she said she thought if she took her own life, she would see her daughter again on the other side. we really can't spend enough time i think it enough focus, on those parents and the awful, awful at ordeal they have been through, can we? ~ , ,., , at ordeal they have been through, canwe? ~ , ., ., can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some — can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some of _ can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some of them _ can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some of them out _ can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some of them out and - can we? absolute curtly, and i have heard some of them out and about. heard some of them out and about this morning and the families throughout this nightmare of a trial and obviously the years before, i understand from people close to all of this have just conducted themselves with the most incredible dignity and poise —— absolutely. wanted to see justice done. it has been today. wanted to see “ustice done. it has been today.— been today. let's talk about that for a moment. _ been today. let's talk about that for a moment. before _ been today. let's talk about that for a moment. before we - been today. let's talk about that for a moment. before we do, - been today. let's talk about that for a moment. before we do, i. been today. let's talk about that i for a moment. before we do, i want to make the point and to make it extremely strongly that these are fortunately very rare cases and there are of course many, many dedicated, hard—working, compassionate doctors, nurses, medical staff working at hospitals up medical staff working at hospitals up and down the country and i think at a moment like this, it's important to acknowledge and remember that. important to acknowledge and rememberthat. it important to acknowledge and remember that. it is also, though, doubtless a moment of nervousness perhaps for new parents, people who are about to give birth. they will be wondering whether or not the system is safe, what can you say to them? 50 system is safe, what can you say to them? ' i1 i , system is safe, what can you say to them? ' :: :: , ., system is safe, what can you say to them? ' i: i: , ., system is safe, what can you say to them? ' i: in ., , system is safe, what can you say to them? ' i: in ., y., , them? so 100% what you “ust said. the nhs them? $0 10096 what you “ust said. the nhs is them? $0 10096 what you “ust said. the nhs is fullfi them? $0 10096 what you “ust said. the nhs is full of h them? $0 10096 what you “ust said. the nhs is full of caring _ them? $0 10096 what you just said. the nhs is full of caring people. i the nhs is full of caring people. the nhs is full of caring people. the nhs is a massive organisation. like society, there are 99.9% of people who are good people. bad things happen within society and bad things happen within society and bad things happen within the nhs. that is steve brine _ things happen within the nhs. that is steve brine mp, the chair of the health and social select committee on the continuing investigations into lucy letby. and also the news that she will spend the rest of her life in prison, sentenced today here at manchester crown court. you are watching bbc news. hello. it hasn't been a bad day for most of us so far. bright and even sunny weather. to degree across england and wales. slightly different story in the north—west of the country. for northern ireland and western parts of scotland, a weather front is approaching and we are expecting some rain later on. and you can see the small weather system on the satellite picture moving into the north west. to the south of that, apart from the odd shower and thick clouds, we are with high pressure close by and it is going to be generally bright or sunny for the rest of today. and that high pressure is keeping things warm, hot, infact that high pressure is keeping things warm, hot, in fact come across many parts of europe. we will be getting some extreme temperatures through the course of this week. in france, it could be up to 42 celsius in places like lyon. way up there for this time of the year. 25, 26 in the south east, belfast and glasgow decent, perhaps in the low 20s. this is the weather from moving into northern ireland and western and central parts of scotland. by the end of the night, rather than persistent rain, it comes and goes, showery conditions, but the bulk of the country further east and south should be generally clear and in the north or south, temperatures tonight and tomorrow morning will be about the same. so here is the forecast for tomorrow, tuesday. broadly speaking, the northern half of the uk is somewhat showery with most of them out towards the west. the further south you are, the sunnier it will be. and again, similar temperatures, 1025 in london, 25 in liverpool and 20 degrees in the north—west of the country. the middle part of the week, high pressure still across europe keeping things very hot. we are on the edge of this high pressure. just enough of this high pressure. just enough of these weather fronts to sneak in and bring some showers to perhaps north—western parts of the uk. but the further east and south you are, i think through the middle part of the week it stays generally on the sunny side and still very warm. and these values are a little above the average for the time of the year, but i think we are close to the average for liverpool, belfast and glasgow. this is the outlook. it does look as though the warmer weather will come to an end in the south with that increasing cloud, we have a 5 degrees temperature drop. but in the north, still hovering around 18 or so in belfast. that is it, goodbye. this is bbc news, the headlines... nurse lucy letby will spend the rest of her life in prison — for murdering seven babies — and attempting to kill six others. this was a cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder, involving the smallest and most vulnerable of children. canada sends soldiers to tackle wildfires in british columbia — which have forced over 35,000 people to leave their homes. over half the votes have been counted in ecuador�*s presidential election — which is taking place amid tight security after the murder of a candidate. the spanish prime minister pedro sanchez has travelled to the island of tenerife, where 26,000 people have been evacuated from their homes because of a giant wildfire burning out of control there. authorities say the blaze is now the biggest ever seen on the island, and stretches for 50 miles. and extreme weather is causing havoc across north america. the canadian government is sending in the military to help battle more than 400 fast—spreading wildfires raging in british columbia.