Lucy Letby is being sentenced today after being found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more at the Countess of Chester's neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016. Listen to a Daily podcast special on the serial killer while you scroll.
Judge Mr Justice Goss has entered the courtroom.
He says under the guidelines Letby must be sentenced to life in prison. But the prosecutor argues she should not be eligible for release - the offences are so serious that Letby should be considered for a whole-life order. "In light of information that has emerged during the trial of Lucy Letby, and the announcement of the independent inquiry, the Northern Care Alliance has suspended Alison Kelly."A former Old Bailey judge has said Lucy Letby's crimes put her"deep into whole-life territory" despite the threshold for the sentence being"exceptionally high".
She explained an example given to judges of what crimes might qualify for a whole life order includes someone who has committed two or more murders with an element of careful pre-planning. But she said she did not know all the factors the judge will be taking into account today, nor what mitigation will be advanced by the defence.When nurse Lucy Letby returned from a trip to Ibiza in June 2016, she texted a colleague to say she would be"back in with a bang".She later told her trial that message was merely referencing what would be a"busy shift".
The windows are blacked out so it is not possible to see inside, but is believed Letby will refuse to leave the cells and be in the dock for sentencing today.
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