Indi Gregory: Judge denies Italy treatment plan for ill baby

Indi Gregory's treatment causes her causes pain and is futile, medics have said

A judge has ruled that a critically ill baby will not be allowed to travel to a hospital in Italy to receive treatment.

Indi Gregory has mitochondrial disease and medics at Nottingham's Queen Medical Centre (QMC) were told they could withdraw life support for her.

Lawyers representing her parents asked a High Court judge to allow Indi to be transferred to Rome for care which they said could prolong the baby's life.

Mr Justice Peel denied the request in a ruling on Thursday.

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Mitochondrial disease prevents cells in the body producing energy and the NHS says the condition is incurable. 

A judge had allowed medics to withdraw life support, saying the medical evidence was "unanimous and clear". 

Doctors have said Indi is dying and her treatment is futile and causes pain.

Her parents, from Ilkeston, Derbyshire, have failed to persuade Court of Appeal judges in London and judges at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France, to overturn the decision to lawfully limit treatment.

Indi's parents, Claire Staniforth and Dean Gregory, had previously said they had "given up" their legal battle

However, the Christian Legal Centre, which has been representing parents Dean Gregory and Claire Staniforth, said the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome had agreed to treat their eight-month-old.

A spokesperson for the centre says the family aim to appeal.

Following the ruling, Mr Gregory described the decision as "sickening", and vowed to fight the decision.

"We wanted to take this offer because the only alternative offered by the Trust is Indi's death," he said.

"Even if the transfer to Italy involves some risk, the only alternative we have been offered in the UK is to go along with Indi's death.

"There is nothing to lose for us or for Indi."

Indi Gregory was born on 24 February

In a written judgment, Mr Justice Peel said there was "no compelling new medical evidence" to justify him revising his decision to allow life-support to be withdrawn.

"There is nothing to suggest that Indi Gregory's prognosis would be beneficially altered by the Italian hospital's treatment," he said.

Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Dr Keith Girling, said: "Cases like this are incredibly difficult for everyone and our thoughts are with Indi's parents at this time. "Our priority remains to provide the best possible care for Indi and to support her parents through this process."