Serial child killer Lucy Letby has refused to appear at her sentencing hearing, with the Prime Minister calling her actions “cowardly” and relatives of her victims describing it as “one final act of wickedness”.

The 33-year-old neonatal nurse faces a whole life order after being convicted of the murders of seven babies and attempting to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester hospital.

More than a dozen relatives of Letby’s victims sat in the public gallery for the hearing at Manchester Crown Court. Eight jurors returned to see the sentencing.

Rishi Sunak told reporters on Monday it was “cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims”.

Mr Sunak was asked during a visit to a nursery in North Yorkshire whether the Government was too slow in changing the law to force her to be in the dock.