The parents of 23-month-old Alfie Evans have lost their latest legal battle after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) rejected their appeal as 'inadmissible'.
Tom Evans, 21, and mother Kate James, 20, from Liverpool, took their case to the ECHR after the UK Supreme Court rejected their bid on Friday.
Meanwhile supporters tried to storm Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool where Alfie is being treated on Monday. After a stand-off with police, who formed a line to block the entrance, the protesters retreated to chant 'Save Alfie Evans'.
Doctors unanimously agree that 'there is no hope of his [Alfie's] ever getting better' and 'almost all of his brain has been destroyed', the Supreme Court said on Friday. The judges have approved the hospital's plan to remove the ventilation which is keeping him alive, allowing him to die naturally.
However his parents insist there is a chance of recovery and want to take him to the Vatican-run Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome.
Mr Evans met Pope Francis on Wednesday morning this week with the pontiff offering prayers and support.
A ECHR spokesman said on Monday: 'The European court of human rights has rejected the application submitted by the family of Alfie Evans as inadmissible.'
The couple have now lost cases in the High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights with judges have concluding that further treatment would be futile and not in Alfie's 'best interest'.
In what appears to be the end of the road for his parents' battle, the Supreme Court's Lady Hale, Lord Kerr and Lord Wilson, reiterated on Friday that 'parental rights are not absolute'.
'As we explained in our earlier decision in this case, the best interests of the child are the "gold standard" which is not only adopted by our law but also reflects the international standards to which this country is committed.
'It is therefore clear law that the parents do not have the right to use the writ of habeas corpus to acquire the custody of their child if this will not be in his best interests.'
