Lucy Letby threatens to dodge her next court appearance in move that could deny heartbroken parents the chance to confront the killer nurse – as ministers pledge to bring in new laws forcing serious criminals to come to the dock for sentencing

Lucy Letby has threatened to evade court next week as ministers vowed to introduce laws to force serious criminals to go to trial for sentencing.

The murderous nurse made her last appearance in court on Thursday morning – 24 hours before jurors finished pronouncing their final verdicts. She told her legal team she no longer wanted to attend the proceedings, including her sentencing hearing on Monday.

If she refuses to appear, she misses the “victim impact statements” that her victims’ parents are expected to make. She will also dodge the judge’s comments about her crimes.

The Daily Mail understands that changes to the law requiring offenders to be present in court for sentencing will be included in the King’s speech in November.

A Justice Department source said: “It is a final insult to victims and their families when criminals do not stand up for what they have done in court. We are committed to changing the law as quickly as we can to ensure that offenders face the music, or face the consequences.”

It is believed the proposals will allow the use of force to force offenders to attend or carry a higher prison sentence by making no-shows a contempt of court.

The government first pledged to amend the law in February, when Dominic Raab said ensuring that offenders must be present in court for sentencing was a ‘fundamental principle of British justice’.

In June, the justice minister said he was “determined” to introduce legislation to force criminals to attend sentencing. Alex Chalk told MPs: ‘Offenders who rob innocence, betray lives and destroy families should be required to face the consequences of their actions and hear the condemnation of society expressed through the judge’s sentencing remarks. I want to know that when an offender sits in a cell trying to sleep…the judge’s words of judgment ring in their ears.”

It is thought that the change in law could introduce a new legal obligation to be present at sentencing.

Alternatively, criminals could face the prospect of longer prison terms if they fail to comply, by allowing judges to treat absences as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

The latter option, however, would have no effect on the most serious criminals – such as serial killers – who know they already face a ‘life’ sentence, which means they will die behind bars.

It comes after a string of high-profile cases where criminals have refused to come to court to hear their fate, denying victims the satisfaction of seeing them sent down.

In April, the killer of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel refused to attend his hearing.

Thomas Cashman, 34, was found guilty of murdering Olivia and wounding her mother Cheryl Korbel, 46, when he chased a convicted drug dealer into their Liverpool home in August last year.

Ms Korbel said Cashman’s absence was “like a kick in the teeth” and called for the law to be changed.

In December, the killer of 35-year-old law student Zara Aleena also refused to hear his sentence.

Jordan McSweeney’s absence was condemned as “spineless” and “a slap in the face.” Miss Aleena’s aunt told the BBC at the time: “He had to look at our faces and see how he had not just killed Zara, he had killed a whole family.”

In April last year, Koci Selamaj, the murderer of teacher Sabina Nessa, was branded a “coward” by her family after he refused to face them during his sentencing.

In 2008, serial killer Levi Bellfield refused to go to court to be convicted of the murders of Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22. Three years later, when Bellfield was convicted of murdering 13-year-old Milly Dowler, Bellfield refused he again to come to the wharf for his sentencing.

Labor has called on Mr Chalk to act ‘with urgency’.