The Scottish Government could bring forward new legislation to compel those found guilty of crimes to be in court for their sentencing.

The vow to consider carefully if new laws are required comes after Lucy Letby stayed away from Manchester Crown Court on Monday, missing both victim impact statements and her sentencing. 

Families of the victims said they felt disrespected by her absence.

The mother of twin boys Child E and Child F, who Letby was convicted of murdering and attempting to murder respectively, told the court: “Even in these final days of the trial she has tried to control things, the disrespect she has shown the families and the court show what type of person she is.

“We have attended court day in and day out, yet she decides she has had enough and stays in her cell – just one final act of wickedness from a coward.”

READ MORE: Lucy Letby given whole life sentence for murder of babies

Her unwillingness to come to court has led to calls for action.

Rishi Sunak said it was "cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims".

He has said the UK Government is looking at what can be done in England.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government told The Herald ministers that here were also looking at options.

“The Scottish Government has the utmost sympathy with everyone affected by the Letby case. Offenders are brought before the court to hear their sentencing in Scotland. However, there is no statutory law that requires this. We will consider carefully if any new laws are needed in this area.”

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

On Monday, she was given a whole life sentence for her “cruel, calculated and cynical campaign” of murder and attempted murder.

She is only the fourth woman in UK history to be told she will never be released from prison.

READ MORE: Lucy Letby sentencing: Families speak as nurse refuses to appear

“I have to sentence her in her absence,” Mr Justice Goss told Manchester Crown Court. “I shall deliver the sentencing remarks as if she was present to hear them. And I direct that she is provided with a transcript of my remarks and copies of the victim personal statements read to the court.”

He 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 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.”

He went on: “By their nature and number such murders and attempted murder by a neonatal nurse entrusted to care for them is a case of very exceptional circumstances.

“This was a cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder.”

He added: “There was a malevolence bordering on sadism in your actions.

“During the course of this trial you have coldly denied any responsibility for your wrongdoing.

“You have no remorse. There are no mitigating factors.”

The judge also told Letby she would be provided with copies of his remarks and the personal statements of the parents.

UK Government Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said Letby "took the coward's approach" by not appearing in court.

It was one last insult to her victims by "robbing their families of the chance to look her in the eye as the judge decided her fate", he added.

"Cases like these make me even more determined to make sure the worst offenders attend court to face justice, when ordered by the judge," he said.

Kirsty Brimelow KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, warned that forcing an offender to go to court could "massively increase risk to everybody around that prisoner".

"I think it's unlikely to work. You should never underestimate the capability and capacity of somebody to disrupt court proceedings," she told BBC Breakfast.