21 August 2023 , 09:34
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Criminals like killer nurse Lucy Letby should have their sentencing live-streamed into their cells if they refuse to attend court, the aunt of murder victim Zara Aleena has said.
Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015-2016. She will be sentenced today, and could be handed a whole-life order by judge Mr Justice Goss at Manchester Crown Court.
The 33-year-old has avoided attending the hearing, having previously indicated she did not intend to return to the dock, and would not follow the sentencing via video-link from prison. Farah Naz, whose law graduate niece was violently murdered while walking home from a night out, said reading victim impact statements without Zara's killer present "felt farcical" and they “still want to face him".
Asked if live-streaming the sentencing into the cell would be enough for the families of Letby’s victims, she told Times Radio: "Nothing will ever be enough, will it? Nothing is enough. But I think that is a way… the live-streaming in the cell… that the person is forced to hear the proceedings in the courtroom, and also a camera can be put on them.
Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital (Cheshire Constabulary/AFP via Ge)"If the families want to see her face whilst she hears the sentencing while she’s in the cell, why not? Why not do something like that? Hearing your sentencing is actually also a crime deterrent. People have asked me and I’ve been reading online people say ‘Well, what difference does it make if somebody’s going to be in prison all their lives, that they stand in the courtroom? Why fight for this?’
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
"It’s really important because I think it does act as a crime deterrent, having to face a judge and to be told what you’ve done, even if you’re alone in the room, in a cell, it sends a message doesn’t it, to other criminals out there? This is what would happen." She also warned that, if criminals like Letby are not persuaded to attend their sentencing, it "will continue as a trend".
She added: “It’s not full, but to see her in court and to stand and to have a moment perhaps where they can see that is part of her punishment… And so I feel sad for those families that also may want to address her in their victim impact statements.
Zara Aleena was violently murdered while walking home from a night out (PA)
Her killer was not present during his sentencing hearing"And, I think, to have that moment to address that person that’s destroyed your life certainly is so important to the process of justice and so important to the victims themselves in their own process of dealing with their trauma.
"But I think it’s much more than that. I know that we, you know, we’ve been talking about ‘face the family’… I think that Letby has to face justice, and she has to face society. And I think we don’t have to drag in the criminal.
"I think we can persuade them. There are certain other ways of getting them into the courtroom so they face justice, and that would be to extend minimum tariffs or to refuse a tariff or to refuse parole or to refuse certain privileges in prison.
"I think, if we don’t do this, this will continue as a trend. And I think what it does when an offender doesn’t appear in the courtroom, it’s another way of the offender spitting in the face of the law, but also of the victims, and taking a bit of power." Her comments come as Mr Justice Goss said the court has no power to force a defendant to attend a sentencing hearing.
A court artist sketch of Letby during her trial (PA)A Government source has suggested "lawful enforcement" could be used as a last resort to ensure Letby attended if it was considered necessary, reasonable and proportionate. "Lucy Letby should be in court to hear society's condemnation of the enormity of her crimes, expressed by the judge," the source said.
"If that requires the use of lawful enforcement, so be it. If she continues to refuse, that will only strengthen our resolve to change the law as soon as we can." 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.
Ex-justice secretary Robert Buckland also called for the sentencing to be played into Letby's cell if she does not attend, regardless of her wishes. "She needs to hear the victim's personal statements, as impact statements that will really bring home I think, to the wider world, the appalling devastating impact of the loss of these innocent children, these innocent babies, have had upon dozens of families," he told GB News.