Archie Battersbee's life-support to turned off after family lose legal bid

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Archie Battersbee is set to have his life support removed after his family lost their final bid to keep him alive today.

During a last-minute Court of Appeal meeting this afternoon, the heartbroken family were informed of their son's fate. Now, the court will only grant a short stay, or delay, until 12 o'clock tomorrow, after which the boy's ventilator can be turned off by staff at The Royal London Hospital.

The 12-year-old has been in a coma since April after he suffered a catastrophic brain injury. Doctors treating Archie said he is scientifically brain-stem dead and continuing life-support treatment would not be in his best interests.

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Following this announcement, Archie's separated parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee launched several appeals to continue his treatment. Initially, his life support was scheduled to be switched off at 2pm today, but his parent were granted a last-minute virtual hearing at 11am.

Edward Devereux QC, representing Archie's family, argued during the hearing this morning with the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Moylan that unless the withdrawal of his life-sustaining treatment is postponed, the court will be "complicit" in a "flagrant breach of international law".

Archie's parents had applied to the UN in a last-ditch effort to prevent his treatment from being stopped. In turn, the committee contacted the government on Friday with the government's legal department writing an urgent letter on Sunday on behalf of Health Secretary Steve Barclay, requesting the court to consider the committee's request.

Furthermore, a legal "stay" to prevent treatment