Judge 'Rejects' Plea To Send Alfie Evans To Italy For Treatment

The judge hearing the case of Alfie Evans has asked doctors if it may be possible for him to return home after his life support was withdrawn.

However, in doing so it appears that Mr Justic Hayden has denied Alfie's family's wishes for him to be flown to Italy for treatment.

Alfie has been at the centre of a row about whether or not his treatment should be allowed to continue and his parents have fought to have him taken to Italy, where he has been offered treatment at the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome.

The 23-month-old's life support was withdrawn earlier.

PA

The sad case has been ongoing for around six months and has seen several court battles in which Alfie's parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, have tried to stop the medical staff at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool from turning off the machines that were keeping their son alive.

They found support in Pope Francis who, as well as giving Alfie's father a private audience, has also publicly tweeted support.

Alfie was granted Italian citizenship as a last ditch attempt to reverse the decision to turn off life support failed on Monday. Judge Hayden confirmed his decision to turn off the machines that had been helping him to breathe today at the family division of Manchester High Court.

Hayden, addressing the legal teams of both sides said: "If there were a more constructive attitude from the family might other options become possible, away from Alder Hey?

"I'm not suggesting this, I don't want it to be taken as an indication from me.

"One of the things Tom Evans said, if it can't be Italy or Munich, which it cannot be, was whether they could take Alfie home."

PA

One of the clinicians at Alder Hey hospital said that moving Alfie cannot take place for a few days at the earliest and that the hostility that they are facing from protesters - some of whom tried to storm the hospital yesterday - promises to make moving him difficult.

He told the Mirror: "It's heartbreaking we're here again arguing when all we want to do is the best for Alfie's family."

Doctors at the hospital have said that there is no cure and no way that Alfie could survive. They say he has a neurological condition that is destroying his brain and the humane thing to do would be for treatment to be withdrawn.

However, Mr Evans claims that his son managed to breathe unaided for 21 hours after his medical treatment was withdrawn.

Topics: Liverpool, Alfie Evans, UK News, News, UK

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a freelance journalist and LADbible contributor. He graduated from University of London with a BA in Philosophy before studying for a Masters in Journalism at the University of Salford. He has previously written for the M.E.N Group as well as working for several top professional sports clubs. Contact him on [email protected]

@TPWagwim