Baby killer nurse Lucy Letby sentenced to whole-life term in UK
London, Aug 21: Neonatal nurse Lucy Letby, convicted as the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history, was on Monday sentenced to a whole-life term by a UK court for killing seven babies and attempting to murder at least six others while working at a hospital in northern England.
Justice James Goss removed any early release provisions from the whole-life sentence order, saying the exceptionally serious nature of her crimes meant that the 33-year-old will spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Letby was last week found guilty of the murder of seven newborn babies and also found guilty of seven counts of attempted murder relating to six other babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northern England between June 2015 and June 2016.
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Goss said the nurse had acted in "gross breach of trust" and with "premeditation, calculation and cunning" as he handed down the tough custodial sentence at Manchester Crown Court.
"You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies and in gross breach of the trust that all citizens place in those who work in the medical and caring professions," said Justice Goss.
"The babies you harmed were born prematurely and some were at risk of not surviving but in each case you deliberately harmed them, intending to kill them," he said.
On Friday, a jury at the same court had handed down a guilty verdict at the end of a 10-month trial, following which Indian-origin consultant paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram spoke out about the alarms he and his colleagues had raised at the Countess of Chester Hospital where the nurse committed the crimes.
"I do genuinely believe that there are four or five babies who could be going to school now who aren't," Dr Jayaram said after the verdict.
Letby enhanced the anguish of the parents whose babies were murdered or attacked by refusing to attend her sentencing hearing.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the nurse as "cowardly" for this, adding that his government is looking at changing the law to compel guilty criminals to face their victims after being found guilty.
"I think, like everyone reading about this, it's just shocking and harrowing. Now, I think it's cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims and hear first-hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and their families and loved ones," said Sunak.
"We are looking and have been at changing the law to make sure that that happens, and that's something that we'll bring forward in due course," he said.
The murder trial heard how Letby deliberately injected babies with air, force fed others milk and poisoned two of the infants with insulin. Many of the parents impacted by her crimes addressed the court with their victim impact statements ahead of the sentencing, with tearful mothers speaking of their trauma at discovering how their babies suffered as they breathed their last.
The judge noted that the nurse, now convicted as one of Britain's worst serial killers in history and only the fourth woman to be handed a whole-life term, "relished" being in the intensive care unit where she took an interest in "uncommon" complications and targeted twins and triplets.
"The impact of your crimes has been immense Loving parents have been robbed of their cherished children. You have caused deep psychological trauma," said Justice Goss.
"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," he said, explaining the factors that determined her tough sentence without any prospect of parole.
Whole-life orders are the most severe punishment available and are reserved for those who commit the most heinous crimes, the BBC reported.
The UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which was able to prove the case against Letby after months of intense evidence gathering, expressed relief that the nurse had finally been brought to justice.
"My thoughts remain with the families of the victims who have demonstrated enormous strength in the face of extraordinary suffering. I hope that the trial has brought answers which had long eluded them," said Senior Crown Prosecutor Pascale Jones.
"These were tiny, vulnerable newborn babies that she should have been caring for. She will never leave prison," added Cheshire Police, which led the murder investigation.
Meanwhile, a senior manager in charge of nursing when Letby murdered and seriously injured babies in her care has been suspended from her current role.
Alison Kelly, serving as nursing director at the Northern Care Alliance until recently, has now been suspended "in light of information" that emerged during the Letby trial.
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TN polls: Vijay announces Rs 2,500 monthly assistance, 8 gm gold for women
Chennai (PTI): TVK chief Vijay on Thursday unveiled sweeping assurances in the party manifesto ahead of the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu that included Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women below 60 years, 8 gm gold for marriage and six free cooking gas cylinders a year, per family.
The actor-turned-politician also assured a quality silk saree in addition to gold for indigent brides and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for women-run SHGs. He assured corruption-free good governance if voted to power in his maiden electoral fight.
The manifesto also laid importance on education. To prevent school dropouts, mothers or guardians of children studying in government and state-aided schools will receive Rs 15,000 annually.
Vijay promised 100 special residential schools named after iconic leader K Kamaraj, credited with revolutionising education in the state, and higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh. The TVK founder also assured AI Ministry, AI University and AI City.
The manifesto placed a strong emphasis on agrarian welfare, too.
The party promised a full waiver of agricultural cooperative crop loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land, while those holding more than five acres will receive a 50 per cent waiver. Additionally, the party promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
Addressing youth unemployment, Vijay pledged to create five lakh new government jobs and offer as many stipendiary internships. Unemployed graduates will be provided a monthly aid of up to Rs 4,000. For government employees, the party assured consideration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularisation of contract workers, including nurses.
On the health front, he promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu. Vijay also committed to modernising hospitals, providing free annual health checkups, and introducing a Rs 25 lakh family health insurance scheme.
The manifesto also included a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for the elderly and the differently-abled, 200 units of free power, patta (land deed) regularisation, and 100 per cent piped drinking water supply for all households.
Some of the policy intereventions promised by TVK include a legal guarantee to provide essential government services like community certificates, and land pattas, within a strictly specified timeframe.
Vijay also promised doorstep delivery of governance by implementing a system to deliver services, such as ration supplies, directly to the people. He also assured that ease of doing business will be paramount to his government and promised a strict guarantee that business licences will be issued within 21 days.
Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu will be held on April 23 and outcome known on May 4. Vijay is facing his maiden electoral battle, billing it as a direct fight between the ruling DMK and his TVK.
