Lucy Letby’s parents fail to appear in court for her sentencing

Lucy Letby’s parents did not attend court to see their daughter sentenced after she was convicted of being the most prolific baby killer in modern British history.

The neonatal nurse’s parents, Susan, 63, and John, 77, attended Manchester Crown Court every day during her 10-month trial.

However, they did not appear on Monday as relatives of Letby’s victims read out moving personal statements during her sentencing hearing.

Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016.

Her parents had been so determined to hear all the evidence against their daughter that they relocated to Manchester from their home in Hereford.

Early last week, when the jury reported the first guilty murder verdicts, Mrs Letby broke down in court, crying out: “You can’t be serious. This cannot be right.”

She was still weeping as she left the courtroom, and neither parent was in court last Friday, when the final guilty verdicts were handed down.

In December 2011, Letby – who had suffered from an overactive thyroid gland since she was 11 – gained her BSc in child nursing.

Her mother and father, described by neighbours as a modest, professional couple, posted a notice in the Hereford Times, reading: “We are so proud of you after all your hard work. Love Mum and Dad.”

The bond between Mr and Mrs Letby and their daughter, who they had helped move into her new home in Chester, became evident during the trial when the jury was read a WhatsApp exchange with Dr Alison Ventress, a work colleague.

Dr Ventress was considering relocating to New Zealand and was encouraging Letby to come with her, but she responded: “Not brave enough to up and leave everything. I couldn’t leave my parents, they would be completely devastated. Find it hard enough being away from me now, and it is only 100 miles.”

Nicholas Johnson KC, prosecuting, opened his remarks at the sentencing on Monday by confirming that Letby “had refused to come into court”.

The mother of Child E, a premature-born boy who died, and Child F, his twin brother who survived, told the court the nurse’s refusal to appear was “just one final act of wickedness from a coward”.

Letby, the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history, was given a whole life order when Mr Justice Goss handed down the sentence.

More than a dozen relatives of Letby’s victims sat in the public gallery for the hearing on Monday, and eight jurors returned to see the sentencing.