Forcing offenders into dock welcomed by families

Families of victims of superior offenders accidental plans to springiness judges much powers to marque criminals be sentencing hearings volition guarantee loved ones are "put first".

The parent of shooting unfortunate Olivia Pratt-Korbel and the sister of execution unfortunate Sabina Nessa person been campaigning for the instrumentality change.

It comes aft babe slayer Lucy Letby refused to look for her sentencing.

Critics accidental the determination is simply a "knee-jerk, headline-grabbing" response.

Under caller rules, judges volition beryllium capable to bid an offender to be a sentencing proceeding and marque it "clear successful law" that tenable unit tin beryllium used.

Those who garbage could look an other 2 years successful situation - though this volition marque nary quality for idiosyncratic similar Letby who has been fixed a full beingness bid and volition ne'er beryllium released.

Powers already beryllium for judges to compel radical to attend, but officials said they are seldom used, and a instrumentality alteration would "make it clearer" for judges to enforce it.

Jebina Islam, Ms Nessa's sister, told the BBC she was "delighted" to spot victims and their families being "put first".

"We've worked hard for this and it's astir clip that we've seen this alteration happen," she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

She said her household felt aggravated erstwhile Ms Nessa's slayer refused to basal successful the dock for sentencing.

"How is this fair? How is this allowed? He murdered my sister, our sister," she said.

Cheryl Korbel, whose nine-year-old girl Olivia was killed by Thomas Cashman - who besides refused to look successful tribunal when helium received his beingness sentence - has been among those campaigning for the instrumentality change.

She told ITV she hoped Olivia was "proud of what we've done".

"Because astatine the extremity of the day, it's successful her name, it's wherefore we've done this. And not lone successful her name, it's for each household retired determination that has gone done it," she said.

"We conscionable anticipation it gets changed truthful no-one other has to spell done it."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was "unacceptable" that immoderate of the country's "most horrendous criminals" person refused to travel to court.

"They cannot and should not beryllium allowed to instrumentality the coward's mode out," helium said.

However, the begetter of a murdered constabulary serviceman warned against a "knee-jerk, headline-grabbing response".

Former situation serviceman Bryn Hughes' girl PC Nicola Hughes was killed successful 2012 alongside a workfellow successful a weapon and grenade ambush portion connected work successful Greater Manchester.

He said helium had witnessed the contented from "both sides of the courtroom".

"On being the begetter of idiosyncratic who was murdered and being successful court, and a erstwhile situation serviceman who has really restrained idiosyncratic into court. It is difficult," helium told PA quality agency.

He said it was often precise hard to unit radical up the often constrictive steps from the cells into courtrooms, and had seen the behaviour of prisoners forced into courtrooms.

"Foul maltreatment towards the family, abused the court, turned their back, kicked off, fought, spat, bitten people," helium said.

Guidelines already beryllium for judges to summation sentences for those convicted failing to appear, nether the Content of Court Act. But Ministry of Justice officials accidental they could lone find 1 illustration successful a decennary of a justice utilizing their powers to marque idiosyncratic attend.

Shadow location caput Yvette Cooper said a instrumentality alteration would "make it easier" for judges to guarantee those recovered blameworthy look successful court. The families of victims of superior offenders said plans to springiness judges much powers to marque criminals be sentencing hearings volition guarantee victims are "put first".