Parents of severely disabled boy take legal fight to Europe

The parents of a severely disabled boy say they have asked European judges to consider their case after losing life-support treatment battles in London courts.

A High Court judge has given doctors permission to provide only palliative care to Isaiah Haastrup - against the wishes of the little boy's parents, Lanre Haastrup and Takesha Thomas.

Mr Justice MacDonald analysed Isaiah's case at the Family Division of the High Court in London in January after specialists at King's College Hospital said providing further intensive care treatment was futile, burdensome and not in the youngster's best interests.

Three Court of Appeal judges upheld his ruling on Friday following a further hearing in London.

Mr Haastrup and Miss Thomas, from Peckham, south-east London, say they have now made a written application to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.

They have asked bosses at King's College Hospital to continue treatment until judges in Europe have considered their application.