Serial killer nurse to die in prison after murdering seven babies

Serial killer nurse Lucy Letby will die in prison after murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others while working on a hospital's neonatal unit.

The judge imposed a whole-life order for each murder, meaning she will spend the rest of her life in prison unless under very exceptional circumstances. She did not appear in court during sentencing.

The 33-year-old was also convicted of trying to kill six other infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The trial lasted for more than 10 months and is believed to be the longest murder trial in the UK.

“There was premeditation, calculation and cunning in your actions," Mr Justice Goss told Manchester Crown Court on Monday.

He said Letby "relished" being in the intensive care unit where she took an interest in "uncommon" complications and targeted twins and triplets.

"Over a period of 13 months, you killed seven fragile babies and attempted to kill six others," the judge said. "Some of your victims were only a day, or a few days old. All were extremely vulnerable."

He added: "This was a cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder involving the smallest and most vulnerable children, knowing your actions were causing significant physical suffering.

"There was a malevolence bordering on sadism in your actions.

"During the course of this trial you have coldly denied any responsibility for your wrongdoing.

"You have no remorse. There are no mitigating factors.

"In their totality, the offences of murder and attempted murder are of exceptionally high seriousness, and just punishment, according to law, requires a whole life order."

Letby - who was in her mid-20s and working at the Countess of Chester Hospital at the time of the murders between June 2015 and June 2016 - is the UK's most prolific child killer of modern times.

"The impact of your crimes has been immense," the judge said, adding "lifelong harm" had been caused after Letby targeted babies whose lives were cut short "almost as soon as they began".

"Loving parents have been robbed of their cherished children," he added. "You have caused deep psychological trauma."