Court orders Indi Gregory's life support to be removed

Baby Indi Gregory.

The family of Indi Gregory have lost their latest bid to stop the 8-month-old's life support from being removed. 

The baby suffers from a rare mitochondrial disease and staff at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) say that it is in her "best interests" to die. 

The courts have sided with her medical team over her family who want her to be transferred to a hospital in Rome for treatment. 

The Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome has agreed to accept Indi for treatment that would be fully funded by the Italian government. 

Earlier this week, Italy granted her citizenship and her Italian guardian made an urgent application to the UK High Court calling for jurisdiction of the case under Article 9.2 of the Hague Convention. 

On Friday, senior UK judges ruled that the Italian intervention in the case is "wholly misconceived" and "not in the spirit of the convention". 

Lord Justice Peter Jackson, Lady Justice Eleanor King and Lord Justice Andrew Moylan said that her life support should be removed immediately and also refused to grant permission for an appeal to be launched against an earlier ruling dictating that Indi's life support cannot be removed at home.

Indi's dad, Dean Gregory, and mother, Claire Staniforth, said they were "disgusted by another one-sided decision from the judges and the [NHS] Trust". 

"Claire and I have always wanted what is in Indi's best interests. She has human rights and we wanted her to have the best treatment possible," said Mr Gregory.

"If the UK did not want to fund it, why can she not go to Italy and receive the treatment and care which the amazing Italian Prime Minister and government has offered.

"This feels like the latest kick in the teeth, and we will not give up fighting for our daughter's chance to live until the end."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting the family, said: "Life is the most precious gift we have.

"There is a hospital prepared to care for Indi in Rome. Indi's parents desire to give her every chance they can. Why would anyone try to stop this happening for them and for her?

"To continue to deny them this opportunity is unimaginable."

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