Manchester family lose court fight over life support for brain damaged baby
The Ali family have been fighting to keep 5 month old Midrar on life-support, despite a ruling from a High Court judge.
Last updated 14th Feb 2020
A couple who want doctors to keep providing life-support treatment to their brain-damaged baby have lost another legal battle.
Karwan Ali and Shokhan Namiq, who live in Manchester, had appealed after a High Court judge concluded that four-month-old Midrar was brain stem dead and said doctors could lawfully stop treating him.
But three Court of Appeal judges on Friday dismissed their challenge and declared that their son is dead.
Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Justice Patten and Lady Justice King ruled that medics could lawfully "cease to mechanically to ventilate'' Midrar.
Mr Ali described the appeal judges' decision as "terrible''.
Mrs Justice Lieven had initially analysed evidence at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in Manchester in January.
She concluded that Midrar was brain stem dead and ruled that life-support treatment could lawfully end.
But Midrar's parents wanted treatment to continue and had asked appeal judges to overturn Mrs Justice Lieven's ruling.
Mr Ali said doctors could not be "100% sure'' that Midrar was dead and wanted more tests.
He said Midrar was still growing.
The three appeal judges had analysed the case at a Court of Appeal hearing in London on Wednesday.
They concluded that Midrar's parents did not have an arguable case and declared that Midrar is dead.
"It's just terrible" - Midrar's father
Sir Andrew, who is president of the Family Division of the High Court and the most senior family court judge in England and Wales, announced the decision at a further hearing on Friday.
He said evidence showed that "awfully'' Midrar no longer has a "brain that is recognisable as such''.
"There is no basis for contemplating that any further tests would result in a different outcome,'' he said.
"The factual and medical evidence before (Mrs Justice Lieven) was more than sufficient to justify her findings.''
He added: "No other conclusion was open to Mrs Justice Lieven.''
Mr Ali said after the ruling: "It's just terrible.''
He added: "I'm just reading what the appeal judges have said, then we'll discuss it with our lawyers.
"He's still growing. They can't be 100% sure he is dead. He's still growing. His eyes move. I've seen them move.''