Lawyers for Lucy Letby, who maintains her innocence, have submitted an application seeking permission for an appeal against her convictions.

Whole life orders are very rare, and only three women in Britain have received such a sentence before, including serial killers Myra Hindley and Rosemary West.

Lucy Letby, who was in her 20s at the time of the murders, is the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history.

Defying a strike ban, thousands decked in scrubs and surgical masks marched on the state parliament over what they say are intolerable conditions.

Prosecution says Mohammad Awari Ahmad's act of slashing and raping the woman was witnessed by her 5-year-old son.