Families welcome plan to force offenders into dock after Lucy Letby case

A new law that gives judges more powers to make criminals attend sentencing hearings has been received well by families of victims. 

Some of the most recent high-profile murder cases have seen the killers refuse to appear in the dock during the sentencing. 

The mother of Olivia Pratt-Korbel – a nine-year-old shot dead by Thomas Cashman, and the sister of murdered Sabina Nessa -who was beaten to death by Koci Selamaj on her way to the pub, have been campaigning for law change. 

The most recent high-profile case – the serial baby killer Lucy Letby also refused to appear for her sentencing, causing outrage and leading for more calls for changes to the law. 

Under new rules for England and Wales, judges will be able to order an offender to attend a sentencing hearing and make it “clear in law” that reasonable force can be used.

Those who refuse could face an extra two years in prison. This will apply in cases where the maximum sentence is life imprisonment, including serious sexual or violent crimes like murder, rape, and grievous bodily harm with intent – although this will make no difference for someone like Letby who has been given a whole-life order and will never be released.

Powers already exist for judges to compel people to attend, but officials said they are rarely used, and a law change would “make it clearer” for judges to enforce it.