The father of a survivor of serial baby killer Beverley Allitt has made an impassioned plea that the notorious 'Angel of Death' nurse must never be released from custody.
Families' Fear as Tribunal Looms
Alan Asher, 68, spoke out as it is understood Allitt is due to go before a mental health tribunal at Rampton High Security Hospital. The 57-year-old, who is serving 13 life sentences, must be assessed by experts every three years for a potential transfer to a mainstream prison. Her last assessment was in 2023.
Insiders fear that a move to the general prison estate could trigger her release, as she has already served her minimum 30-year tariff, which expired in November 2021. Alan Asher, whose daughter Kayley was attacked by Allitt as a baby, told The Mirror: "We had an update within the last month saying nothing had changed. However we expect that she will be re-assessed because it's nearly three years since her last review. We've always said she should never be freed."
A Life Forever Altered
Allitt's crimes have left a permanent scar on the Asher family. In 1991, when Kayley was just 15 months old, Allitt injected an air bubble under her arm while working as a nurse at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital in Lincolnshire. This malicious act caused the infant's lungs to collapse and triggered two cardiac arrests.
Although Kayley was resuscitated, she suffered severe brain damage. Now aged 31, she lives with the daily trauma of the attack. Her father revealed that for years she checked under her bed and in her drawers, terrified the killer would find her. "Allitt's crimes have affected Kayley her entire life - she lives with it every day," Alan said.
The Path to Parole and a Shocking Inheritance
Allitt was convicted in 1993 for murdering four children and attempting to murder nine others. The judge declared her "a serious danger" to others and said she was unlikely ever to be considered safe for release. She was diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome by proxy and sent to Rampton.
If a future tribunal deems her fit for transfer to prison, she would gain the right to apply for parole. In a controversial move, Allitt was left a £10,000 trust fund inheritance by her father, Richard, before his death in August 2022. His will stated she should be treated as the main beneficiary, able to access the money if needed.
The families of her victims continue to live with the consequences of her actions, united in their belief that Beverley Allitt must remain behind bars for the rest of her life.
