NURSE 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 killer nurse's crimes were “completely contrary” to normal human instincts, the judge sentencing her said.

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.

Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016.

The most prolific child serial killer in modern British history faces a whole-life order as the judge hands down the sentence at Manchester Crown Court.

He told her: “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 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.”

The judge continued: “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.

Letby took opportunities to harm babies while staff were on breaks, he went on.

He said: “You knew the last thing anyone working in the unit would or did think was that someone caring for the babies was deliberately harming them.”

He added handover sheets relating to all but the first four babies were found when police searched Letby’s home, which he was satisfied she kept as “morbid records”

“The impact of your crimes has been immense,” he continued.

“Loving parents have been robbed of their cherished children.

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 it was not part of his role to “reach conclusions about the underlying reasons” for Letby’s actions.

“Nor could I,” said the judge.

He added: “For they are known only to you.”

Letby has become only the fourth woman in UK history to be told she will never be released from prison.

These include the girlfriend of Moors murderer Ian Brady, Myra Hindley, who died in 2002, and serial killers Rose West and Joanna Dennehy.