Serial killer nurse Lucy Letby to be sentenced for murdering seven babies

Lucy Letby, the UK's most prolific child serial killer, is expected to face the rest of her life behind bars, as the nurse from Hereford will be sentenced on Monday (August 21).

She killed seven babies and attempted to murder six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016. The 33-year-old has joined a list of Britain's most twisted child killers, which includes Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, as well as the 'Angel of Death' paediatric nurse Beverley Allitt.

Letby's sentencing will be handled by judge Mr Justice Goss at Manchester Crown Court. He is expected to give a whole-life order to Letby, the most severe punishment available in the UK's justice system.

It is not guaranteed that Lucy Letby will be in attendance to receive her sentence, as she has previously indicated not to return to the dock, not to take part in any hearings, and would not follow the case via a video-link from prison.

Judge Goss said the court has no power to force the defendant to attend her sentencing hearing. But government sources have explained how 'lawful enforcement' could be used to ensure Letby attends if considered necessary, reasonable and proportionate.

Letby was arrested at her semi-detached home in Westbourne Road, Chester in July 2018. During searches of her address, a number of closely written notes were discovered, with one note reading: “I don’t deserve to live. I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them”, “I am a horrible evil person” and in capital letters “I am evil I did this”.

She used various ways to harm the babies, including injecting air into the bloodstream, injecting air into the stomach, overfeeding with milk, physical assaults and poisoning with insulin.

After deliberations which lasted 110 hours and 26 minutes - spanning 22 days - a jury of seven women and four men convicted Letby of seven counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder in relation to six other infants.

Cheshire Police are continuing to investigate over 4,000 cases of babies admitted to Countess of Cheshire Hospital, as well as at Liverpool Women's Hospital where Letby had two work placements during her employment from 2012.