'Olivia's Law' gets final approval, forcing criminals to be present for sentencing hearings

A law designed to force criminals to be present in the dock for their sentencing hearings has been given Royal Assent and is now law.

The legislation was developed after nine-year-old-year schoolgirl Olivia Pratt Korbel who was shot dead in her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, in August 2022.

Her mother Cheryl Korbel led the campaign for the change after Olivia's killer Thomas Cashman refused to come up from his cell for his sentencing.

Part of the larger Victims and Courts Bill, it will give court staff powers to use reasonable force to force criminals to attend the hearings and, should they still refuse, pave the way for time to be added to their sentence and privileges such as visiting rights removed.

Cashman opened fire on Olivia's family home while chasing and trying to shoot a rival drug-dealer in a botched assassination.

The killer later refused to come up from his cell for sentencing and to hear the personal impact statements prepared by the Olivia's family.

Royal Assent is the final procedural stage of a bill passing through UK parliament before it becomes law.

The parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Justice, Baroness Leavitt KC, said during the hearing in the Lords earlier this month: "It's been a pleasure to bring the Victims and Courts Bill through this house, which is now another step closer to becoming law.

"This bill will deliver on our manifesto commitment to support and protect victims, restore confidence in our justice system and implement swifter and fairer justice."

Olivia's Butterfly Foundation, which was set up in the schoolgirl's memory, thanked supporters from "the bottom of our hearts".

On Facebook, the charity said after "endless weeks of campaigning, finally we are here".

It continued: "Olivia's Law will ensure that no other families are stripped of their opportunities to begin their journey of justice and closure, the justice system will see victims and their families and their needs put first before the desires of criminals."

"We are so proud that Olivia's name will be making a difference for years and years to come and I know that whichever silver lined cloud she is perched on tonight she will be looking down on us all beaming with pride."