Is Beverley Allitt still in prison? Yes — Britain’s most notorious killer nurse remains locked away in 2026, though not in a conventional prison. Beverley Allitt, nicknamed the “Angel of Death,” is currently detained at Rampton Secure Hospital in Nottinghamshire, a high-security psychiatric facility, where she has been held since her conviction in 1993. Despite her minimum sentence tariff expiring in 2021, she has not been released and a 2023 bid to transfer her to a mainstream prison was rejected.

Who Is Beverley Allitt?

Beverley Gail Allitt was born on 4 February 1968 in Corby Glen, Lincolnshire. She trained as a nurse and in early 1991 obtained a position as an enrolled nurse on Ward 4 of Grantham and Kesteven Hospital in Lincolnshire — a paediatric ward caring for sick children. It was there that she carried out a series of attacks so shocking they permanently changed how healthcare regulators monitor staff access to vulnerable patients.

Allitt is widely believed to have suffered from a psychological condition known at the time as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (now formally called Fabricated or Induced Illness), which causes a carer to harm those in their care in order to attract attention and sympathy. Her case remains one of the most studied examples of this disorder in British criminal history. You can read more about famous UK prisoners on our site.

What Did Beverley Allitt Do?

Between February and April 1991, Allitt murdered four children and attacked nine others on Ward 4. Her victims ranged in age from a few weeks old to eleven years. She killed Liam Taylor (aged 7 weeks), Tim Hardwick (aged 11), Becky Phillips (aged 2 months), and Claire Peck (aged 15 months). She attempted to kill or seriously harm nine further children, in some cases leaving them with permanent brain damage, partial paralysis, or blindness.

Allitt administered lethal or near-lethal doses of insulin to some victims, and in other cases suffocated or injected air into them. The attacks were difficult to detect initially because they occurred in a hospital setting where children’s deteriorating conditions were attributed to their existing illnesses. It was only after a pattern was noted — that cardiac arrests were disproportionately occurring when Allitt was on shift — that a serious investigation was launched.

She was arrested in November 1991 and charged with multiple counts of murder, attempted murder, and grievous bodily harm.

What Sentence Did She Receive?

In May 1993, following a trial at Nottingham Crown Court, Beverley Allitt was convicted of four murders, three attempted murders, and six counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. She was sentenced to thirteen concurrent life sentences — one of the most severe sentences in British legal history for a single offender.

The then-Home Secretary Michael Howard later set a minimum tariff of 30 years before she could be considered for parole. This was a significant period that reflected the gravity of her offending. Unlike most life sentence prisoners who are held in ordinary prisons, Allitt was committed to Rampton Secure Hospital due to her assessed psychiatric needs, where she has remained ever since.

Where Is Beverley Allitt Now in 2026?

As of 2026, Beverley Allitt is 57 years old and continues to be detained at Rampton Secure Hospital in Nottinghamshire. Rampton is one of only three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England (alongside Broadmoor and Ashworth), and holds patients who pose a grave and immediate danger to themselves or others.

In 2023, Allitt applied to be transferred from Rampton to a mainstream prison — a step that could eventually have moved her closer to the parole process — but the application was refused. The Ministry of Justice does not publish detailed reasons for such decisions, but it is generally understood that the Parole Board and clinical teams concluded she still required the level of specialist psychiatric care that only a secure hospital can provide. Her minimum tariff of 30 years expired in November 2021, but she has not applied for parole since the transfer denial. Another review is expected in 2026, though release remains extremely unlikely given the Home Office’s position on her case. If you have a family member in secure detention, our guide on how to book a prison visit and how to send money to a prisoner may be of help.

Will Beverley Allitt Ever Be Released?

The honest answer is that release is considered extremely improbable. Beverley Allitt’s crimes involved the deliberate murder of children who had been placed in her care — an act of profound betrayal that the Home Office has treated with exceptional gravity. She has been placed on a list of prisoners the Home Office considers should never be eligible for parole, though this remains a recommendation rather than an absolute legal bar.

For Allitt to be released, she would need to satisfy the Parole Board that she no longer poses a risk to the public — an exceptionally high bar given the nature of her offending, and one that clinical assessments have not found her to have met. Her case is often compared to that of Lucy Letby, the baby killer nurse convicted in 2023, which has renewed public interest in Allitt and questions about where the two women are being held and whether either could ever be freed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Beverley Allitt still alive?

Yes, Beverley Allitt is still alive. She was born on 4 February 1968 and as of 2026 is 57 years old. She remains detained at Rampton Secure Hospital in Nottinghamshire, England.

Is Beverley Allitt in a prison or a hospital?

Beverley Allitt is held at Rampton Secure Hospital, which is a high-security psychiatric hospital rather than a conventional prison. She was sent there due to her serious psychiatric needs, specifically a condition known as Fabricated or Induced Illness (previously called Munchausen syndrome by proxy).

How many children did Beverley Allitt kill?

Beverley Allitt was convicted of murdering four children: Liam Taylor, Tim Hardwick, Becky Phillips, and Claire Peck. She also attempted to murder three further children and caused grievous bodily harm to six more, leaving some of her surviving victims with permanent disabilities.

What is Beverley Allitt minimum sentence?

Beverley Allitt was given a minimum tariff of 30 years before being eligible for parole consideration. That minimum term expired in November 2021. However, she has not been released and a 2023 application to transfer to a mainstream prison was denied. She remains in Rampton Secure Hospital.

Why is Beverley Allitt called the Angel of Death?

Beverley Allitt is called the Angel of Death because she was a nurse who murdered children in her care, presenting an outward appearance of compassion and dedication while secretly causing their deaths. The nickname reflects the horrifying contrast between her role as a carer and her actions as a killer.