Milly Dowler’s killer Levi Bellfield ‘offered Covid jab before most of the rest of Britain’

Milly Dowler’s killer Levi Bellfield has reportedly been offered the coronavirus jab

Milly Dowler’s killer Levi Bellfield has reportedly been offered the coronavirus jab at his high-security prison, while millions of ordinary Britons wait for theirs.

Bellfield, 52, was found guilty of the murder of 13-year-old Milly in 2011. 

He was also convicted of the murders of French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, in 2004, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2003.

He is one of around 50 British prisoners serving a whole life sentence, meaning he will never be released.

But the vicious killer, along with other inmates at Frankland Prison, in County Durham, is said to have received a letter saying he will be vaccinated in the coming weeks, the Sun reported

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett told the newspaper that it ‘beggars belief’ that a ‘child murderer’ could have the vaccine ‘early’. 

But the Ministry of Justice insisted in a statement posted on Twitter that prisoners will not get preferential treatment for a coronavirus jab.

Priority for the vaccines has been determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, with everyone over 70 and clinically extremely vulnerable people all planned to get a first dose by February 15.

It means prisoners in those categories will get the vaccine before ordinary Britons who do not have health conditions or are not elderly.  

Bellfield, 52, was found guilty of the murder of 13-year-old Milly in 2011

Bellfield reportedly complained that he should have ‘already’ had the jab because it ‘can spread like wildfire and we are in danger’. 

Another inmate at Frankland, who is said to be in his 50s, received the same letter which read: ‘In January/February 2021 we will be receiving the Covid-19 vaccination to distribute to our vulnerable/priority patients.

‘Due to the criteria set out by Public Health England you will be eligible for the vaccination. 

Former Detective Colin Sutton – the police officer who finally nailed Bellfield – said it was ‘appalling’ that Bellfield and others should ‘apparently jump the queue.’  

Frankland is also home to the Ian Huntley, the killer of school girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, as well as Michael Adebolajo, one of the killers of soldier Lee Rigby. 

However, the Ministry of Justice hit back at suggestions that prisoners are being prioritised.

They said on Twitter: ‘The NHS is legally required to vaccinate prisoners in eligible cohorts, such as those over 80, in line with guidance. 

The vicious killer, along with other inmates at Frankland Prison, in County Durham, is said to have received a letter saying he will be vaccinated in the coming weeks

The vicious killer, along with other inmates at Frankland Prison, in County Durham, is said to have received a letter saying he will be vaccinated in the coming weeks

Amelie Delagrange (pictured) was murdered on the night of August 19, 2004

Marsha McDonnell, aged 19, died in 2003, yards from her home after getting off a bus. Surrey Police are withholding transcripts from interviews to prevent 'further unwarranted emotional damage and trauma to the families'

He was also convicted of the murders of French student Amelie Delagrange (left), 22, in 2004, and Marsha McDonnell (right), 19, in 2003 

‘Prisoners will not receive the vaccine ahead of their cohort.

‘To suggest prisoners are being treated any differently to the general public is completely untrue.’

MailOnline has approached the Ministry of Justice directly for comment.  

Bellfield, 52, was given a whole life term for murdering Ms McDonnell, 19, in 2003, and murdering Ms Delagrange, 22, and attempting to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004.

Bellfield was serving a whole life term for the murder of Ms McDonnell and Ms Delagrange and attempting to murder Kate Sheedy, 18, in 2004, when he went on trial of killing Milly.

She was snatched from the street while on her way from school to her home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002.

Bellfield was found guilty of abducting and killing the 13-year-old following a trial at the Old Bailey in 2011.