BeamDash

By Will Jefford and PA news agencyBBC News

A judge has ruled a critically ill baby's life-support treatment will not be allowed to be ended at home.

Indi Gregory has mitochondrial disease and medics treating her at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) have said they can do no more for her.

Her parents had requested that Indi be allowed to return to their home in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

However the High Court ruled her treatment should end in a hospice or hospital.

The family will appeal said the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting them.

On Wednesday, Mr Justice Peel ruled Indi's treatment would stop no earlier than 14:00 GMT on Thursday.

In a written judgement he said it would be "all but impossible" to remove the eight-month-old's life support and carry out palliative care at her family's home.

Medics told the judge Indi was currently "clearly distressed, agitated and in pain".

They said that extubation - the removal of her life support - could happen anywhere in theory, but her after-care would need to be "managed by trained professionals with resources on hand to deal with complications, and minimise distress".

Due to the potential complications, which are now more severe due to the length of time she has received care, her needs after extubation will now be more serious, they said.

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

In October, Mr Justice Peel gave medics permission to withdraw life support, saying the medical evidence was "unanimous and clear".

Since then Indi's parents 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.

The judge was told on Tuesday the parents' preference was for treatment to be withdrawn at home.

However, he decided it was in her best interests for it to take place at a hospice, or the QMC, where the appropriate members of staff and equipment were located.

"I consider it essential that [Indi] should continue to have clinical treatment of the highest quality, carried out in a safe and sustainable setting," he said.

"That will not be available at home."

Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome agreed to provide treatment but a judge denied an application to move Indi to Rome for further care on Thursday.

The family's appeal against the High Court ruling was rejected on Saturday.

A protest against the ruling was held outside the QMC on Sunday.

The Italian government intervened and granted her Italian citizenship on Monday.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni vowed to do what she could to "defend" Indi's life.

Indi's father, Dean Gregory, said he was disappointed the offer of help from Italy had been dismissed by the hospital and court system.

He told the BBC: "I'm just focussed on saving my daughter's life and doing what's in Indi's best interests.

"She deserves a chance. She has a country offering to pay for everything - we just have to take her over there so it is not costing the hospital or the government anything.

"Everybody seems like 'why won't they let her go?' they have nothing to lose."

He added he felt confident if Indi was allowed to travel to Italy, she could be saved.

Dr Keith Girling, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, said: "This is an incredibly challenging time for Indi and her family, and our thoughts are with them today.

"Following today's High Court decision, our priority will remain to provide Indi specialised care appropriate to her condition and in line with the direction of the court, supporting her family in every way possible."

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