Indi Gregory: Court of Appeal judges dismiss critically ill baby's parents legal challenge
The parents of a critically ill baby from Derbyshire, have lost the latest stage of a life-support treatment legal battle.
A High Court judge recently ruled that doctors could lawfully limit the treatment they provide to Indi Gregory - against the wishes of her parents, Dean Gregory and Claire Staniforth from Ilkeston.
Indi's parents, had challenged Mr Justice Peel's ruling earlier this month but two Court of Appeal judges have dismissed their challenge.
Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Birss had considered arguments at a Court ofAppeal hearing in London on Monday (23 October).
They concluded that Indi's parents did not have an arguable case - and no"real prospect" of winning an appeal.
Indi's parents argued that the "depth of the inquiry" carried out by Mr Justice Peel had been "inadequate".
They also argued that the High Court trial had been "procedurally unfair" and complained that Mr Justice Peel had refused to give them an "effective opportunity" to obtain expert medical evidence of their own.
Mr Justice Peel heard evidence about Indi's condition at a private trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
The judge heard that Indi, who was born on the 24th February 2023 and will be eight months old on Tuesday (24th October), has mitochondrial disease, a genetic condition that sap energy.
She 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. Ms Sutton had argued that Indi's parents' appeal should be dismissed.
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