Killers who refuse to face victims' families at sentencing will be locked in their cells for three weeks under new rules

Axel Rudakubana, who received a 52-year minimum term in his absence after being removed from his sentencing hearing for shouting, is among the killers the new powers are designed to punish.

Southport killer Axel Rudakubana, Thomas Cashman and Kyle Clifford all refused to appear before their victims' families in court. New rules laid before Parliament on Thursday would allow judges to strip prison privileges for 84 days and prohibit social visits for 27 days. Prisons minister Catherine McKinnell said criminals 'should not be able to pick and choose'. The measures will not come into force until next year.

Under existing law, defendants who fail to appear already face fines or up to two additional years for contempt.

Prison Reform Trust chief Pia Sinha cautioned that the sanctions would penalise relatives who 'committed no offence'.

Children of inmates will be excluded from the new visiting bans.

The GuardianCriminals who refuse to attend sentencing face losing prison privileges under new rules Evening StandardJudges handed more powers to punish killers absent from sentencing hearing LBCCowardly killers who refuse to leave cell for sentencing face three week cell confinement and month-long visitor ban The IndependentKillers who skip sentencing to face solitary confinement or be denied social visits BBC NewsCriminals who skip sentencing will face solitary confinement or lose social visits GB NewsMurderers who refuse to appear in dock for sentencing hearings to face new penalties Daily Mail NewsCowardly killers who refuse to come to dock for sentencing face being locked in cell for three weeks and month-long ban on visits under new powers The TelegraphJudges to punish killers who skip sentencing with solitary confinement LBCKillers who skip sentencing hearings could face three weeks in solitary confinement and lose prison visits under new penalties

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