A judge in the UK sentenced Lucy Letby, a neonatal nurse, to life imprisonment without prospects for release over the murder of seven newborn babies and attempted murder of six other babies. 

The 33-year-old was convicted of killing five boys and two girls, earning her the title of the UK's most prolific child serial killer in modern history. 

Letby worked at the neonatal unit of the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England where she committed her murders between June 2015 and June 2016. 

According to the prosecution, Letby killed her victims by either injecting them with air, overfeeding them with milk or poisoning them with insulin.

The trials initially began in October 2022 and ended last Friday at the Manchester Crown Court, ending more than 100 hours of deliberations.

Following a trial that started in October, a jury at Manchester Crown Court ended more than 100 hours of deliberations on Friday.

Read more: UK nurse convicted of murdering 7 vulnerable infants under her care

On Monday, Letby did not attend the final verdicts and refused to leave her cell to hear the sentencing.

"You acted in a way that was completely contrary to the normal human instincts of nurturing and caring for babies," Judge James Goss said as he addressed Letby in her absence. 

There was "premeditation, calculation and cunning" in her crimes, he added, noting there was a "deep malevolence bordering on sadism".

"You have no remorse," the judge said. "There are no mitigating factors."

"Because the seriousness of your offenses is exceptionally high, I direct that the early release provisions do not apply," Gross added.

"The order of the court therefore is a whole life order on each and every offence and you will spend the rest of your life in prison."

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