'Cowardly' killers like Letby and Cashman to be forced to face sentencing under new powers
The announcement follows the campaign of Olivia Pratt-Korbel's mother, Cheryl, who met with the prime minister on Wednesday, ITV News' Chloe Keedy reports
Criminals will be forced into court for their sentencing hearings under new powers, the prime minister has announced, after several "cowardly" murderers skipped theirs.
Rishi Sunak said he would change the law so judges could compel defendants to attend their sentencing and they could hear from their victims about the impact of their crimes.
New legislation will be introduced as soon as October, allowing prison officers to use "reasonable force" to get defendants into the dock.
And judges will get the power to impose additional punishments including an extra 24 months on their prison sentence for those who refuse to show up.
Mr Sunak first committed to a change on sentencing hearing laws months ago, following the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, after her killer Thomas Cashman avoided hearing his punishment and the impact of his crimes from his victim's family.
Olivia's mum Cheryl Korbel, who met the prime minister ahead of the announcement after campaigning hard for a change, said she hoped her daughter would be proud of what the family had achieved.
She told ITV News she is "very hopeful" of a swift law change but "I'm not going to believe it until it actually happens."
'I just hope she's proud of what we've done': Cheryl Korbel in tears over law change
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who was formerly the CPS director of public prosecutions, said the "challenge now is for the words that have been said today to be turned into action".
He claimed the law could be introduced as early as next week with an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill which is currently progressing through Parliament.
"I'm frustrated that its taken as long as it has to get to where we want to today," he said, "we’ll work with the government [to] overcome the obstacles".
Asked what he’d have done differently, Sir Keir said he would have ”acted a lot more quickly”.
"It’s taken too long in my view, it shouldn't really have taken Cheryl to come all the way to London and knock on the prime minister’s door to get where we are today."
Starmer says Sunak did not act quickly enough to change law
Justice Secretary Alex Chalk told ITV News the law was being changed to ensure "natural justice, because for many victims, they will never be able to sleep peacefully again because their lives have been shattered by what the offender has done".
He added: "It is only right that as the offender is trying to get to sleep that they hear society’s condemnation expressed through the sentencing remarks of the judge ringing through their ears."
But concerns have been raised about the "complex issue" of forcing defendants into the dock.
Former prison officer Bryn Hughes - whose daughter Pc Nicola Hughes was killed in 2012 alongside fellow Pc Fiona Bone in a gun and grenade ambush in Greater Manchester - said the idea is "fraught with danger".
He said that he had seen the behaviour of prisoners forced into courtrooms: “Foul abuse towards the family, abused the court, turned their back, kicked off, fought, spat, bitten people.
“They are beyond being told to sit down and be quiet, aren’t they?"
But Ms Korbel asked how she would feel had Cashman behaved that way after being forced into court, said: "If he’d have been dragged up kicking and screaming, so be it."
Cashman was just one in a string of serious violent offenders who refused to attend their sentencing hearings and pressure on the PM to act intensified after serial baby killer Lucy Letby was sentenced in her absence.
The former nurse also refused to leave her cell, meaning she did not hear victim impact statements read by the families of the 13 babies she murdered or harmed.
This reignited angry calls for a law change from political parties and members of the public.
'It's about natural justice': Justice secretary on upcoming law change
Under current law, judges can only order defendants to attend court for hearings prior to the verdict being delivered. If they fail to obey, they can be found in contempt of court and face up to two years in prison.
But judges have no such power over defendants for their sentencing.
Ms Korbel began campaigning for legislation to change after her daughter's murderer refused to enter the dock to hear his 42-year sentence.
She spoke out following Letby's sentencing, telling ITV News the importance of offenders hearing about the impact of their crimes.
“Writing the impact statement was really hard. It wasn’t going to take minutes. It was days, over a matter of weeks. It’s important for the offenders to listen to the pain that they’ve caused, the pain that is ongoing. Going to prison is supposed to be a rehabilitation," she said. “That first port of call of rehabilitation should be in that courtroom and standing there listening to the judge and listening to the families’ impact statements.”
'It was like a punch in the stomach': Olivia's mum opens up to Rishi Sunak
Primary school pupil Olivia died when Cashman opened fire when he chased another man into her home in Dovecot, Liverpool.
Mum Cheryl, who was also injured in the shooting, said he was a "coward" for skipping his sentencing.
"I think I wanted to see if there was any remorse there, to see if he was taking any accountability for it, but I never got that chance," she said, adding: "I wanted him to understand the pain that he's caused, the pain that we went through and the pain we are still going through."
Cashman and Letby are just two killers convicted in the past few years who have avoided attending their sentencing.
Sex attacker Jordan McSweeney murdered 35-year-old law graduate Zara Aleena as she walked home in Ilford, east London, and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 38 years but skipped his sentencing.
As did Koci Selamaj, who received life with at least 36 years for murdering primary school teacher Sabina Nessa after travelling to London to carry out an attack on a random woman.
Another murderer who refused to attend their sentencing - and much of the trial - was Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi.
He was found guilty of 22 counts of murder and sentenced to 55 years in jail.
After Letby was sentenced, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said: “Cases like these make me even more determined to make sure the worst offenders attend court to face justice, when ordered by the judge.
“That’s why we are looking at options to change the law at the earliest opportunity to ensure that in the silence that follows the clang of the prison gate, society’s condemnation will be ringing in prisoners’ ears.”
The earliest opportunity to introduce new legislation is Monday next week, after MPs return from their summer recess.
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