Lucy Letby will spend the rest of her life in prison after being given a whole-life order at Manchester Crown Court for the murders of seven babies and attempted murders of six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The most prolific child serial killer in modern British history was convicted by a jury of murdering seven babies and trying to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016.

Addressing the 33-year-old, who refused to appear in court for the hearing, Mr Justice Goss told her she would be provided copies of his remarks and the personal statements of the families of her victims.

Sentencing Lucy Letby, Mr Justice Goss said: “You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies and in gross breach of the trust that all citizens place in those who work in the medical and caring professions.

The Northern Echo: Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016 (Image: PA)

“The babies you harmed were born prematurely and some were at risk of not surviving but in each case you deliberately harmed them, intending to kill them.”

Mr Justice Goss told Manchester Crown Court: “There was premeditation, calculation and cunning in your actions.”

He said Letby “relished” being in the intensive care unit where she took an interest in “uncommon” complications and targeted twins and triplets.

The judge said the defendant prided herself on her professionalism which enabled her to start harming children without suspicion.

He said “lifelong harm” had been caused after Letby targeted babies whose lives were cut short “almost as soon as they began”.

The judge said: “All in horrific circumstances.”

He added: “Loving parents have been robbed of their cherished children.

“You have caused deep psychological trauma.”

Earlier, in a statement read to the court, the mother of Child A, who was murdered by Letby, and Child B, who she attempted to kill, said: “You thought it was your right to play God with our children’s lives.”

She said after the death of Child A, a boy, they feared for his twin sister and made sure a member of the family was always with her, but “made a mistake” and started to believe what happened to the first child was a “tragic event that couldn’t be stopped”.

She added: “Little did we know you were waiting for us to leave so you could attack the one thing that gave us a reason to carry on in life.”

In the statement, made on behalf of her and her partner, she said: “Maybe you thought by doing this you would be remembered forever but I want you to know my family will never think of you again.

“From this day you are nothing.”