Families bereaved by some of Britain's most high-profile recent murder cases are demanding a change in the law to force killers to appear in court.

Relatives of Olivia Pratt-Korbel and Elle Edwards, who were both shot dead in Merseyside last year, said the expected absence of Letby from her sentencing was an "insult" and "disrespectful".

Cheryl Korbel, the mother of nine-year-old Olivia, has been running a campaign called Face The Family, having been denied the chance to watch gunman Thomas Cashman being sentenced earlier this year.

He fired shots into their family home in Dovecot, Liverpool, last August, during what prosecutors described as a "ruthless pursuit" to execute another man.

Ms Korbel told Sky News she was "in shock" when she realised Olivia's killer, who was jailed for at least 42 years, could choose whether to appear in court.

"We'd spent weeks doing impact statements," she said.

"Those feelings were deep down, and bringing them to the surface was really hard, but we did it. And to find out we weren't able to face him was just horrendous."

Killers 'must see pain they've caused'

Ms Korbel said she wanted Cashman to see and hear "the pain he caused", and said killers like him and Letby must face bereaved families to "help them realise what they've done".

Her campaign has been backed by the father of beautician Ms Edwards, who died when Connor Chapman fired a submachine gun into a crowd outside a pub in Wallasey on Christmas Eve.

Tim Edwards did get to face her killer in court, and told Sky News it helped bring closure after a long trial.

"To have him stood in front of us in the dock and listen to what we had to say was important," he said.

"At least we have the satisfaction and knowledge that he has heard what we've gone through.

"How he processes that is out of our hands, but it's important you're given that chance to do that."

Justice system 'not shown in good light'

Mr Edwards admitted he had to show "restraint" when Chapman - who was jailed for a minimum of 48 years - walked past him in the courtroom and stood in the dock.

He said he "stared at him" throughout and "could see for myself he was a coward".

Mr Edwards said it was "very disrespectful" that other bereaved families didn't get to see justice served.

"It's not good enough - it's becoming more of a pattern for guilty murderers to use this option," he added.

"It doesn't show the justice system in a good light."

One father, whose twin boys Letby tried to murder, reportedly told the Daily Mail that if the nurse failed to appear at the sentencing, it would be a "slap in the face" for her victims.

He said: "The law must change. The judge should be given the power to summon her into the dock to face myself, my wife and all the other victims who desperately want her to hear our victim impact statements.

"It is a total injustice and slap in the face for us all. The British justice system needs to change, to ensure that, in the future, all victims' voices are heard by those that perpetrate such horrendous crimes."

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Sky News understands the government is looking to change the law to force criminals to appear in court in light of the Letby trial.

The guilty verdicts, which related to incidents at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016, were delivered over a period of a number of days and Letby was only present for the first two.

The 33-year-old is also expected to avoid facing the judge later for sentencing.

A Ministry of Justice source said it was a "final insult" to victims and families when criminals didn't appear in court.

"We're committed to changing the law as soon as we can to ensure offenders face the consequences," they added.