Indi Gregory’s parents’ bid to take life-support treatment fight to Europe fails

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A campaign group supporting the parents of a critically-ill baby says a bid to take a life-support treatment case to a European court has failed.

Dean Gregory and Claire Staniforth had lost legal fights in London and wanted judges at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), in Strasbourg, France, to consider their daughter Indi Gregory’s case.

The couple are being backed by the Christian Legal Centre – and a spokesman for the centre said on Thursday that the ECHR had “rejected” an application.

A High Court judge recently ruled that doctors could lawfully limit the treatment they provide to eight-month-old Indi and her parents, who are both in their 30s and from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, failed to persuade appeal judges to overturn that decision.

The Christian Legal Centre said Indi’s parents initially wanted a European judge to “prohibit” the withdrawal of “life-sustaining treatment” until the ECHR had considered the case.

But a spokesman said the ECHR had “rejected the application”.

Indi’s parents said they were praying that the ECHR would consider the case.

Mr Justice Peel had ruled that doctors could limit treatment after considering evidence at a recent private trial in the Family Division of the High Court.

He heard that Indi, who was born on February 24 2023, had mitochondrial disease, a genetic condition that saps energy, and is being treated at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Specialists say she is dying and bosses at the hospital’s governing trust asked Mr Justice Peel to rule that doctors could lawfully limit treatment provided to her.

Barrister Emma Sutton KC, who led Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s legal team, told Mr Justice Peel that Indi was critically ill and had an exceptionally rare and devastating neurometabolic disorder.

She said the treatment Indi received caused pain and was futile.

Mr Justice Peel had considered evidence behind closed doors, but he allowed journalists to attend the hearing and ruled that Indi, her parents and the hospital could be named in reports.

He ruled that medics treating Indi and a guardian appointed to represent her interests could not be named.

Mr Gregory said in a statement issued through the Christian Legal Centre: “As a father and parent, I was willing to do everything I could to save my daughter’s life from inhumane decisions and people trying to play god.

“I’m heartbroken by the decision but I am no longer surprised.

“I believe it comes down to costs and resources, and in the eyes of the NHS and the courts in this country and Europe, Indi is not worth it.

“To us she is everything and we will do everything we can to help until the end as it is our duty as parents to protect her.”