The Office The Convict

Criminals should be forced to appear In Person when being sentenced, the aunt of a murdered law graduate said after Olivia Pratt-Korbel's killer refused.

Thomas Cashman on Monday when being sentenced for the nine-year-old's murder in Liverpool.

Farah Naz said Zara Aleena's killer, who also refused to go into the dock, wrongly took power in the courtroom.

She called on Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to ensure such offenders should also have their sentences increased.

" Surely The Judgment is part of The Punishment , " She Said . " We need to see that The Process will deter further crime and how can The Process feel like a punishment if The Convict actually exercises their bit of power?

" It's The Last bit of power that needs to be Taken Away , certainly in our eyes.

" I would like Dominic Raab to move forward with developing this law. "

Ms Naz's 35-year-old niece was sexually assaulted and murdered by Jordan McSweeney after he attacked her while Walking Home from a Night Out in Ilford, Essex, on 26 June.

" We All wanted to face him when we were reading out victim impact statements, " said Ms Naz.

" We wanted to be able to see him be sentenced, be judged, and to face the courtroom to face his judgement. "

Ms Naz said McSweeney's refusal to appear before The Judge showed an " imbalance" in the legal system.

" We wanted to watch him watch the footage of his murdering Zara - what he did to her, " She Said .

" As a result the whole legal process felt incomplete. "

Ms Naz said it felt like " he still had some amount of power".

" He took power over Zara And Then . . in the courtroom he took power. It felt like he was able to have that, " She Said .

" Surely once they have been Convicted . . All their rights are removed?

" They have committed a heinous crime and once they have been Convicted surely. . their rights are Taken Away ? "

Cashman, 34, was jailed For Life and ordered to serve a minimum of 42 years for killing Olivia and injuring her mother Cheryl Korbel as he chased a fellow Drug Dealer into their Dovecot home on 22 August.

Sentencing him In Absentia at Manchester Crown Court , Mrs Justice Amanda Yip said Drug Dealer Cashman's refusal to appear In Court was " disrespectful" to Olivia's family.

She Said he was " not of previous good character" had made it clear he was a criminal, and had " demonstrated no remorse".

" His failure to come into court is further evidence of that, " She Said .

Commenting on Cashman's refusal to enter the dock, a Ministry of Justice source said Olivia and her family " weren't able to hide from Thomas Cashman's crime, so he shouldn't be able to hide from justice".

The Source said: " This is exactly why The Deputy Prime Minister [Dominic Raab ] is committed to changing The Law so that offenders are forced to face the consequences of their actions. "

Following McSweeney's sentencing, Dominic Raab said in February he was examining whether judges should be able to impose longer terms on those who refused to come to court.

Steve Reed , shadow justice secretary, has also repeated Labour's calls for a change in The Law to force criminals to face justice.

He Said it was " an insult" that Cashman had " spinelessly refused to face sentencing In Court for killing Olivia".

" For victims and their families, this can be a vital part of seeing justice done, " He Said .

" Victims deserve better. "

Source of news: bbc.com