Former UK neonatal nurse Lucy Letby has been sentenced to life behind bars with no chance of parole, after being convicted of the murder seven babies.

The 33-year-old who worked at Countess of Chester Hospital from June 2015 to June 2016 was also convicted of attempting to kill six other babies before being removed from frontline duties.

Letby’s refusal to attend court for her sentence was described by parents of her victims as “one final act of wickedness from a coward”.

Justice James Goss told the court that she will spend the rest of her life in prison.

“During the course of this trial, you have coldly denied any responsibility for your wrongdoing,” he said. “You have no remorse.”

Letby’s sentence, which is for her entire life, is the strongest under British law. Only two other people have received it.

The prosecutors said the hospital started to notice a rise in the number of babies who were mysteriously dying or suffering significant health decline in 2015.

Each of Letby’s victims were born prematurely or had health problems.

She was arrested in 2018 and convicted last Friday, after a nine-month trial and 22 days of juror deliberation.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the government will look into forcing convicts to attend their sentencing in “due course”.

Photo: Entrance to Manchester Crown Court (Crown Square) by Rept0n1x available HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.