Judgment Released Following Withdrawal of Life Support for Twin Boys
Lorraine Cavanagh acted for Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in respect of identical twin boys, aged 14 months, who were receiving life support treatment after falling victim to a genetic illness which had also claimed the life of their elder sister when she was just eight months old.
The boys had been in hospital for around eight months, suffering from an “untreatable, progressive, neuro-degenerative disorder”.
The trust had asked for a court ruling because specialists felt that further life-support treatment was not in the boys’ best interests.
Mr Justice Holman concluded that it would be in the twins’ best interests if treatment was ended, after hearing evidence from specialists and the twins’ father.
The case attracted publicity from the national press including ITV News, the Telegraph and the Mirror.
