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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Dan Warburton & Stephen Pitts

'Angel of Death' nurse Beverley Allitt left £10,000 fortune by dad

Baby killer ­Beverley Allitt has been left a £10,000 trust fund inheritance. The nurse, 54, became known as the Angel of Death after her killing spree on ward four of Grantham Hospital, in Lincolnshire, shocked the nation.

The Mirror reveals that Allitt, who is eligible for parole after serving 30 years for killing four children under her care in 1991, could access the cash if she is freed. Allitt murdered seven-week-old Liam Taylor, 11-year-old Timothy Hardwick, two-month-old Becky Phillips and 15-month-old Claire Peck and was also convicted of nine counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

However, her family seemingly refused to believe she was guilty and stood by her as she served 13 life sentences. Documents show that Allitt’s father Richard, 78, set up a £10,000 trust fund before he died three months ago.

He bequeathed a £300,000 estate to his family when he died of a heart attack at home in Corby Glen, near Grantham. But he made special provisions for a £10,000 trust fund for his killer daughter. It is unclear if Allitt – currently held in Rampton Secure Hospital, in Nottinghamshire – will have access to the cash while she is detained.

In his will, Richard wrote: “While my daughter Beverley Gail Allitt is still alive, I want you to treat her as the main beneficiary of the trust so that if she needs money or wishes to receive money, that she can do so as easily as possible.”

In 1993, as Allitt awaited sentence, Richard said he believed his daughter was innocent and that he would be asking his solicitors to appeal against her convictions. He said: “We have always had complete trust in her and still do.”

Mr Allitt, whose wife Lilian died in 2019, said: “We believe Beverley is innocent because we do not think she had it in her to do the things they say she did. She has always looked after babies in the village and lots of parents have trusted her with their children. They thought she was marvellous.”

Following her trial, Allitt was given a minimum sentence of 30 years but was sent to Rampton after medics ruled she was a risk to herself.

Susan and Peter Phillips with a photograph of their daughter Becky, who was killed by Allitt (Mirror)

Doctors believe she suffered from Munchausen syndrome or Munchausen syndrome by proxy, causing her to inflict injury on others to attract attention.

Last night, Sharon Asher, 63, whose daughter, Kayley, now 32, was one of Allitt’s targets, criticised the decision to leave her an inheritance. Kayley was 15 months old when Allitt injected an air bubble under her arm in an attempt to kill her.

Despite suffering two heart attacks the youngster survived but was left permanently brain damaged. Speaking of Allitt, Ms Asher, who still lives in Grantham, said: “Money will never buy that woman happiness.”

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