Nurse found guilty of murdering third baby: Jury today considers seven remaining charges

BEVERLY ALLITT murdered seven-week-old Liam Taylor, poisoning or suffocating the baby as she nursed him on ward 4 of Grantham Hospital, a jury at Nottingham Crown court decided yesterday.

Allitt, 24, who has now been found guilty of the murders of three babies, was also convicted of the attempted murder of Bradley Gibson, aged five, who was injected with potassium as he slept. The attack left him permanently lame in one leg and unable to control his bladder or bowel.

A jury aquitted Allitt of attempting to murder Patrick Elstone, seven weeks, but decided she had assaulted him causing grievous bodily harm. Patrick was permanently brain damaged by Allitt's smothering attacks.

Allitt was not in court. She is in Rampton special hospital, Nottinghamshire, suffering from anorexia nervosa, and has not attended her trial, which opened on 15 February, since 12 March.

The jury of five women and seven men, which retired on Tuesday, will today resume consideration of seven remaining charges, including one of murder. The jurors decided yesterday that Liam, suffering from a chest infection, was fatally left alone with Allitt. His condition deteriorated when he had been in her care, surprising medical staff.

It was Allitt who raised the alarm as Liam's condition worsened. 'Oh, look at him, he's gone a funny colour. Does he look blotchy to you?' she asked a nursing colleague.

Later Allitt again shouted out in alarm. Liam suffered a heart attack. Alarms connected to his body had failed mysteriously to alert staff to his deterioration.

Liam was brain damaged, and died in the early hours of 23 February 1991, the first of the 15 victims Allitt, of Corby Glen, Lincolnshire, is alleged to have attacked.