Doctors can stop providing life-support treatment to 21-month-old Alfie Evans against his parents’ wishes, a High Court judge ruled on Tuesday.

Tom Evans and Kate James, both 20 and from Liverpool, wanted to take their son Alfie abroad for treatment.

But specialists at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool, had asked a High Court judge to allow them to stop providing life-saving treatment.

Mr Justice Hayden ruled in favour of hospital bosses after analysing the dispute at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in Liverpool earlier this month.

He had heard that Alfie, who was born on May 9 2016, was in a “semi-vegetative state” and had a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed, the Press Association reports.

Doctors said continuing to provide life support treatment was “unkind, unfair and inhumane”.

Alfie’s parents believe that he responds to them.

The judge visited Alfie in hospital and praised his parents.

He said they had tried to explore every avenue and leave no stone unturned.

Outside Alder Hey about 30 members of “Alfie’s Army” were supporting the family’s campaign as they awaited the decision.

Blue and purple balloons fluttered in the wind as they chanted, “Save Alfie Evans”.

Alfie, 21 months, suffers an incurable brain disease. His family are at the High Court, London now as a judge decides his fate; doctors want to end life support, his family want to take him to Rome for more treatment. pic.twitter.com/7Aj08bSe1d

February 20, 2018
Alfie, who was born on May 9 2016, is in a “semi-vegetative state” and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors have not definitively diagnosed.