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Criminals will be forced into the dock for sentencing hearings under laws being rolled out in the wake of Lucy Letby’s conviction.
Judges will be given the power to order an offender to attend a sentencing hearing, including by force if necessary, under plans announced by the Ministry of Justice.
The law change is being rolled out in the wake of the serial killer nurse’s conviction for murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of six others.
She refused to appear in court for her sentencing, prompting renewed calls for ministers to speed up a promised change in the law to force criminals into the dock.
Court drawing by Elizabeth Cook of empty chairs in court after nurse Lucy Letby refused to attend
Announcing the reform on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak said: “It is unacceptable that some of the country’s most horrendous criminals have refused to face their victims in court.
“They cannot and should not be allowed to take the coward’s way out,” said the prime minister.
“That’s why we are giving judges the power to order vile offenders to attend their sentencing hearings, with those who refuse facing being forced into the dock or spending longer behind bars.”
Justice secretary Alex Chalk told ITV News the law was being changed to ensure “natural justice, because for many victims, they will never be able to sleep peacefully again because their lives have been shattered by what the offender has done”.
He added: “It is only right that as the offender is trying to get to sleep that they hear society’s condemnation expressed through the sentencing remarks of the judge ringing through their ears.”
Critics of the idea say it is an unworkable policy, as there is “no incentive” for those with a whole life tariff to appear in the dock if they do not want to.
Labour MP and former shadow justice secretary Karl Turner told The Independent: “It is all too tempting in these tragic cases for politicians to promise to force the guilty, dragged kicking and screaming if need be, to court.
“But to make such promises that are not, in reality, actually possible to deliver, may just cause further suffering to victims of crimes.”
He added: “Politicians pretending otherwise is, in my view, very unwise because it risks adding insult to those already badly injured”.
And Labour criticised the government for yet again failing to set out a timeline of when the law change would take effect, instead saying legislation would be brought forward “in due course”.
Letby’s refusal to turn up for sentencing followed former justice secretary Dominic Raab’s promise to act after the non-attendance of the killers of schoolgirl Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Zara Aleena and Sabina Nessa.
Lucy Letby has begun her whole-life prison sentence
Thomas Cashman was jailed for life with a minimum term of 42 years for fatally shooting nine-year-old Olivia at her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, while pursuing a fellow drug dealer.
Sex attacker Jordan McSweeney murdered 35-year-old law graduate Ms Aleena as she walked home in Ilford, east London, and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 38 years.
Koci Selamaj received life with at least 36 years behind bars for murdering primary school teacher Ms Nessa after travelling to London to carry out an attack on a random woman.
All refused to appear in court for sentencing, with their punishments being handed down in their absence.
Rishi Sunak says criminals won’t be allowed to ‘take the coward’s way out’
Steve Reed, Labour’s shadow justice secretary, said the opposition had called for new laws to force criminals to attend sentencing back in April 2022 – claiming the Tories had “dragged their feet”.
He said: “This is the fourth time in over 18 months the government has promised action – and yet again they have failed to outline a proper timeline on when they will act.”
Calling it “disrespectful and grossly offensive” for criminals to avoid hearings, Mr Reed added: “In government, Labour will give judges the power to force offenders to face justice in court. The families of victims deserve nothing less.”
Labour has previously said it would back such a change, meaning the reforms announced by Mr Sunak today could be passed into law relatively quickly.
Olivia’s mother Cheryl Korbel called for the law to be changed to make sure criminals are forced to appear, saying Cashman’s absence was “like a kick in the teeth”.
The laws, which the MoJ said will be “set out in due course”, will mean offenders who refuse could be forced into the dock by prison staff or receive an extra two years in prison.
Judges will have the discretion to use the powers as they see fit to ensure justice is done.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiW2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmluZGVwZW5kZW50LmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWsvY3JpbWUvanVkZ2UtY291cnQtbHVjeS1sZXRieS1zZW50ZW5jaW5nLWIyNDAxODM1Lmh0bWzSAQA?oc=5
2023-08-30 15:53:38Z
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