Killer nurse Beverley Allitt 'fighting for life'

Former nurse Beverley Allitt, who killed four children at Grantham Hospital in 1991 and seriously injured nine others, is said to be battling for her life.

The 49-year-old fell ill last week and is believed to have sepsis. She is now receiving round-the-clock-care at Rampton high-security hospital in Nottinghamshire.

A national newspaper has quoted a source saying: "There are genuine concerns as to whether she'll pull through."

Allitt, who came to be known as 'The Angel of Death', injected her first victim, eight-month-old Liam Taylor, with a large dose of insulin before going on to kill three other children and injure nine in Ward 4 over a 59-day period.

Allitt pleaded not guilty at Nottingham Crown Court, but following a trial was convicted of four counts of murder, three attempted murders and causing grievous bodily harm. She was given 13 life sentences with a minimum of 30 years. She was sent to Rampton to be held there indefinitely.

Phsychiatrists concluded Allitt was suffering from Munchausen Syndrome by proxy, a mental illness which caused her to injure others in order to attract attention or sympathy.