Beverley Gail Allitt (born 4 October 1968) is an English
serial child killer who was convicted of murdering four children, attempting to murder three other children and causing
grievous bodily harm
Grievous bodily harm (often abbreviated to GBH) is a term used in English criminal law to describe the severest forms of battery. It refers to two offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The ...
to a further six.
The crimes were committed over a period of 59 days from February to April 1991 in the children's ward at
Grantham and Kesteven Hospital
Grantham and District Hospital, is an NHS hospital in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England. It is managed by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
History
The foundation stone for the Grantham and Kesteven Hospital was laid on 29 October 1874. It ...
,
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
, where Allitt was employed as a
State Enrolled Nurse
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practition ...
. She allegedly administered large doses of
insulin
Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabolism o ...
to at least two of her victims, and a large
air bubble
A bubble is a globule of one substance in another, usually gas in a liquid.
Due to the Marangoni effect, bubbles may remain intact when they reach the surface of the immersive substance.
Common examples
Bubbles are seen in many places in ev ...
was found in the body of another, but police were unable to establish how all the attacks were carried out.
In May 1993, at
Nottingham Crown Court
Nottingham Crown Court, or more formally the High Court of Justice and Crown Court, Nottingham is a Crown Court and meeting place of the High Court of Justice on Canal Street in Nottingham, England. The building also accommodates the County Cou ...
, she received thirteen
life sentences
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes fo ...
for the crimes.
Mr Justice Latham, sentencing, told Allitt that she was "a serious danger" to others and was unlikely ever to be considered safe enough to be released. She is detained at
Rampton Secure Hospital
Rampton Secure Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital near the village of Woodbeck between Retford and Rampton in Nottinghamshire, England. It is one of three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England, alongside Ashworth Hospital ...
in
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
.
Allitt is now eligible for release on
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
because her minimum tariff of 30 years' imprisonment expired in November 2021.
Early life
Beverley Gail Allitt was born on 4 October 1968 and grew up in the village of
Corby Glen
Corby Glen is a village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately south-east of the market town of Grantham and 8 miles (13 km) north west of Bourne.
History
The Church of England paris ...
, near the town of
Grantham
Grantham () is a market and industrial town in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, situated on the banks of the River Witham and bounded to the west by the A1 road. It lies some 23 miles (37 km) south of the Lincoln and ...
. She had two sisters and a brother. Her father, Richard, worked in an
off-licence
A liquor store is a retail shop that predominantly sells prepackaged liquors – typically in bottles – usually intended to be consumed off the store's premises. Depending on region and local idiom, they may also be called an off-licence (i ...
, and her mother as a school cleaner. Allitt attended
Charles Read Secondary Modern School, having failed the test to enter
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School (KGGS) is a grammar school with academy status for girls in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1910. It has over 1000 pupils ranging from ages 11 to 18, and has its own sixth form.
History
KGGS was fou ...
. She often volunteered for baby-sitting jobs. She left school at the age of 16 and took a course in nursing at
Grantham College
Grantham College is a further education and Sixth Form college in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.
History Construction
Air Chief Marshal Arthur Longmore lived at Elsham House from about 1920; his daughter Janet was mother of Tony Worth, wh ...
.
Victims
Died
*Liam Taylor (seven weeks old)
– was admitted to the ward for a chest infection and was murdered on 22 February 1991.
*Timothy Hardwick (eleven years old)
– a boy with
cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sensa ...
who was admitted to the ward after having an
epileptic seizure
An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...
. He was murdered on 5 March 1991.
*Becky Phillips (9 weeks old)
– admitted to the ward for
gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea and gastro, is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy, and dehydra ...
on 1 April 1991. She was administered an
insulin
Insulin (, from Latin ''insula'', 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the ''INS'' gene. It is considered to be the main anabolic hormone of the body. It regulates the metabolism o ...
overdose by Allitt and died at home two days later; her death was originally believed to have been
cot death
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation. SIDS usual ...
.
*Claire Peck (fifteen months old)
– admitted to the ward following an
asthma attack
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...
on 22 April 1991. After being put on a
ventilator
A ventilator is a piece of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insufficiently. Ventilators ...
, she was left alone in Allitt's care for a short interval during which time she went into
cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
. She was resuscitated but died after a second episode of cardiac arrest, again following a period when she was left alone with Allitt.
Survivors
*Kayley Desmond (then one year old) – admitted to the ward for a chest infection. Allitt attempted to murder her on 8 March 1991 but the child was resuscitated and transferred to another hospital, where she recovered.
*Paul Crampton (then five months old) – admitted to the ward for a chest infection on 20 March 1991. Allitt attempted to murder him with an insulin overdose on three occasions the day before he was transferred to another hospital, where he recovered.
*Bradley Gibson (then five years old) – admitted to the ward for
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
. He had two cardiac arrests on 21 March 1991, due to Allitt administering insulin overdoses, before he was transferred to another hospital, where he recovered.
* Michael Davidson (then six years old) – admitted to the ward for
post-operative care following an operation to remove an
air rifle
An air gun or airgun is a gun that fires projectiles pneumatically with compressed air or other gases that are mechanically pressurized ''without'' involving any chemical reactions, in contrast to a firearm, which pressurizes gases ''chem ...
pellet that he had been injured with in an accident. After being injected with insulin multiple times through a
cannula
A cannula (; Latin meaning 'little reed'; plural or ) is a tube that can be inserted into the body, often for the delivery or removal of fluid or for the gathering of samples. In simple terms, a cannula can surround the inner or outer surfaces ...
on his hand, he had
cyanosis
Cyanosis is the change of body tissue color to a bluish-purple hue as a result of having decreased amounts of oxygen bound to the hemoglobin in the red blood cells of the capillary bed. Body tissues that show cyanosis are usually in locations ...
and fell unconscious before being stabilised by other doctors on the ward. He later made a full recovery.
*Yik Hung Chan (also known as Henry, then two years old) – admitted to the ward following a fall on 21 March 1991. He had an oxygen desaturation attack before he was transferred to another hospital, where he recovered.
*Katie Phillips (then two months old) – Becky's twin was admitted to the ward as a precaution following the death of her sister. She had to be resuscitated twice after unexplained
apnoeic
Apnea, BrE: apnoea, is the temporal cessation of breathing. During apnea, there is no movement of the muscles of inhalation, and the volume of the lungs initially remains unchanged. Depending on how blocked the airways are ( patency), there may ...
episodes (which were later found to be caused by insulin and
potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosphe ...
overdoses). Following the second time that she stopped breathing, she was transferred to another hospital but, by this time, had incurred permanent
brain damage
Neurotrauma, brain damage or brain injury (BI) is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors. In general, brain damage refers to significant, undiscriminating t ...
, partial paralysis and partial blindness due to
oxygen deprivation
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects primarily the tissues and organs. There are many circumstances that can i ...
. Her parents had been so grateful for Allitt's care of Becky that they had asked her to be Katie's
godmother. In 1999 Katie was awarded £2.125 million (equivalent to £ million in ), by Lincolnshire Health Authority, to pay for treatment and equipment for the rest of her life. Lincolnshire Health Authority did not accept liability, but did acknowledge that Katie was entitled to compensation.
Trial and imprisonment
Allitt had attacked thirteen children, four fatally, over a 59-day period. It was only following the death of Becky Phillips that medical staff became suspicious of the number of cardiac arrests on the children's ward and police were called in. It was found that Allitt was the only nurse on duty for all the attacks on the children and she also had access to the drugs.
Four of Allitt's victims had died. She was charged with four counts of murder, eleven counts of
attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions.
Canada
Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seven ye ...
and eleven counts of causing
grievous bodily harm
Grievous bodily harm (often abbreviated to GBH) is a term used in English criminal law to describe the severest forms of battery. It refers to two offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The ...
. Allitt entered pleas of not guilty to all charges. On 28 May 1993, she was found guilty on each charge and sentenced to thirteen concurrent terms of life imprisonment, which she is serving at
Rampton Secure Hospital
Rampton Secure Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital near the village of Woodbeck between Retford and Rampton in Nottinghamshire, England. It is one of three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England, alongside Ashworth Hospital ...
in
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...
.
In the 2018 documentary ''Trevor McDonald and the Killer Nurse'', Allitt reportedly told close friends before her trial that she would never go to prison. After one week in prison she refused to eat or drink and was moved to Rampton Secure Hospital. Two leading experts, forensic psychologist Jeremy Coid and criminologist Elizabeth Yardley, examined Allitt's mental state when she was arrested and concluded she was not mentally ill and should be in prison, not hospital. Allitt reportedly admitted to all 13 of her crimes in a failed application to remain at Rampton Secure Hospital and permanently avoid prison. None of the families of Allitt's victims had been told of her full confession in the failed application.
On 6 December 2007, Mr Justice
Stanley Burnton
Sir Stanley Jeffrey Burnton (born 25 October 1942) is a British lawyer and former Lord Justice of Appeal.
Early life
Burnton was educated at Hackney Downs Grammar School. He studied jurisprudence at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, and graduated from th ...
, sitting in the
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cou ...
,
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, confirmed that Allitt must serve the original minimum sentence of thirty years. It was reported that some families of Allitt's victims had previously mistakenly believed that her minimum
tariff
A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and poli ...
had been set at forty years.
Her minimum tariff expired in November 2021, and she is thus now eligible for release on
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
.
Allitt's motives have never been fully explained. According to one theory, she showed symptoms of a
factitious disorder
A factitious disorder is a condition in which a person, ''without'' a malingering motive, acts as if they have an illness by deliberately producing, feigning, or exaggerating symptoms, purely to attain (for themselves or for another) a patient's ...
; specifically, factitious disorder imposed on another, also known as
Munchausen syndrome by proxy
Factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA), also known as fabricated or induced illness by carers (FII), and first named as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP), is a condition in which a caregiver creates the appearance of health problems in a ...
. This disorder is described as involving a pattern of
abuse
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of a thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, crimes, or other t ...
in which a perpetrator ascribes symptoms to, or physically falsifies illnesses in, someone under their care in order to attract attention to themselves.
In popular culture
Allitt was the subject of a book called ''Murder on Ward Four'' by
Nick Davies
Nicholas Davies (born 28 March 1953) is an award-winning British investigative journalist, writer, and documentary maker.
Davies has written extensively as a freelancer, as well as for ''The Guardian'' and ''The Observer'', and been named Re ...
. A
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
as Allitt. Allitt's story was depicted in episodes of the
'', ''Born To Kill?'', ''Evil Up Close'', ''Britain's Most Evil Killers'' and ''Nurses Who Kill''.
song "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", is based on Allitt, according to vocalist/lyricist
.
, British nurse who convicted for carrying out similar attacks and who was nicknamed "Ben Allitt"
*
, fellow British nurse convicted of murdering four patients with insulin and of attempting to murder another
*