A court in Besançon has sentenced former anaesthetist Frédéric Péchier to life in prison for poisoning 30 patients in eastern France between 2008 and 2017.

Judges found he killed 12 people and attempted to kill 18 others, with prosecutors saying he triggered emergencies to present himself as a saviour. The ruling includes a 22-year minimum term, and his lawyer has said he will appeal.