Archie Battersbee’s parents vow to challenge court ruling as life support to be switched off today

Court of Appeal refuses to postpone withdrawal of life-preserving treatment for Archie

The parents of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee have said they will challenge the Court of Appeal’s ruling to stop their son’s life support being turned off at midday on Tuesday.

It comes after Archie’s parents had their last-ditch bid to keep him alive rejected by a United Nations committee.

Archie, who has been on life support since April, after being found unconscious at home by his mother in Southend, Essex, was set to have his treatment withdrawn at 2pm on Monday.

But following interventions from the UN and the government, the Court of Appeal began a hearing at 11am.

Speaking outside The Royal London Hospital, Archie’s mother, Hollie Dance, said: “We made a promise to Archie, we will fight to the end. And Archie’s still fighting.

“If tomorrow’s the last day then so be it, but we will be applying to the Supreme Court.”

Doctors believe Archie is brain-stem dead and say continued life-support treatment is not in his best interests.

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Ms Dance said cutting off the life support - scheduled to happen at noon on Tuesday - would not be fair to her son.

She said: “I’ve got my son’s best interests at heart - Paul, and the siblings - nobody else has got Archie’s best interests at heart.

“And I say, and I still stand by it, Archie’s best interests would be to allow that child time to recover. If he doesn’t recover he doesn’t recover, but give him time to recover.”

The judges have refused to grant permission to appeal against their ruling at the Supreme Court.

Alistair Chesser, chief medical officer for Barts Health NHS Trust, said: “Our heartfelt sympathies and condolences remain with Archie’s family at this difficult time.

“We are following the direction of the courts, so no changes will be made to Archie’s care whilst the family appeal to the Supreme Court, though we will prepare to withdraw treatment after mid-day tomorrow unless directed otherwise.”