Couple lose court fight over life support for brain-damaged baby

Appeal judges ruled stopping life-support treatment was in Midrar Ali’s best interest.

A couple who want doctors to keep treating their brain-damaged baby son have lost a Court of Appeal fight.

Three appeal judges on Friday ruled that stopping life-support treatment was in Midrar Ali’s best interest.

Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Justice Patten and Lady Justice King had analysed arguments from lawyers representing Midrar’s parents, Karwan Ali and Shokhan Namiq, and doctors, at a Court of Appeal hearing in London earlier this week.

Mrs Justice Lieven, who analysed evidence at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in Manchester, had concluded that Midrar was brain stem dead.

She had ruled that life-support treatment could lawfully end.

Midrar’s parents say treatment should continue and had asked appeal judges to overturn Mrs Justice Lieven’s ruling.

They say Midrar is still growing and say doctors cannot be sure that he will not improve.

But the three appeal judges dismissed their challenge.

Midrar’s father said after the ruling: “It’s just terrible.”