The parents of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee, who was left in a coma after suffering brain damage, have failed to persuade the high court to intervene in a life-support treatment battle.
Archie’s mum and dad Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee had asked Supreme Court judges to give them more time to continue their fight.
Dance and Battersbee want the United Nations to consider the case after losing life-support treatment battles in London courts.
They wanted Supreme Court judges to stop doctors at the Royal London hospital from withholding life-support treatment until they had time to make an application to the UN.
But three judges rejected his request on Thursday.
A Supreme Court spokesman said in a statement: “This afternoon, 28 July 2022, the Supreme Court received an application for urgent leave to appeal (PTA) in the case of Archie Battersbee.
“The parents of Archie Battersbee … were seeking a stay of the appeal court’s decision to allow life-support treatment to be withdrawn from their son. Conscious of the urgency of this matter, the court called a three-judge panel that examined the allegations.
“Having considered the careful judgment of the court of appeal … the court has refused leave to appeal to the supreme court.”
Archie’s parents said the UN has a protocol that allows “individuals and families” to file complaints about violations of the rights of people with disabilities. They say the UN could ask the UK government to delay the withdrawal of Archie’s life support while a complaint is investigated.
The family’s lawyer has told Sky News that Archie’s parents still plan to try to take the case to the UN or European courts, despite the Supreme Court’s lack of intervention.