Victory for justice

Killers to face families in court | New law on shoplifting | Knife crime crackdown

- SOPHIE HUSKISSON

KEIR Starmer applauded the Mirror as he vowed to force murderers to face the families of their victims in court.

The PM yesterday promised action on key issues this paper has campaigned on, including shoplifting and knife crime.

Bereaved families last night welcomed the promised law changes that were set out in the King's Speech.

Mr Starmer said: "We are wasting no time in getting on with the job of changing Britain to make people's lives better."

He added: "I'd like to applaud the Mirror for the brilliant campaigning it has done on important issues including tackling the scourge of shoplifting, banning lethal weapons, and ensuring killers face the families of their victims in court."

Criminals will be forced to attend sentencing after highprofile killers, including nurse Lucy Letby, refused to leave their cells to listen in court about the impact of their offences.

Thomas Cashman, who gunned down Olivia Pratt-Korbel, nine, in Liverpool in August 2022, also snubbed his sentencing.