Doctors refuse to let the parents of Charlie Gard take him home to die
Source: Youtube / Charlie's Fight
A barrister was forced to apologise to the parents of Charlie Gard after breaking the news to them in court that his latest scan read for "very sad reading".
Katie Gollop QC, representing Great Ormond Street Hospital, told the High Court that they had only just received the results of his latest MRI scan, believed to show how much his muscles have wasted and indicated that it was not positive news.
Connie Yates, Charlie's mother, began sobbing and told the judge "we haven't even read it" before running from court. His father Chris Gard shouted "evil" at the lawyer.
Ms Gollop apologised, telling the judge: "Almost all the medical evidence in this case makes for sad reading. I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to cause distress."
Grant Armstrong, who represents the couple, said Ms Gollop should not have broken news about the scan before Charlie's parents had read the report.
They were in the High Court to prepare for a last-ditch legal battle next week in which the judge will decide if there is a new evidence and whether it affects his ruling that Charlie's life support should be switched off.
During the hearing it was revealed for the first time that there is another child in Britain with the same condition - and they have offered the experimental treatment in this country.
Charlie Gard's parents Connie Yates and Chris Gard. Photo / AP
Mr Armstrong said that they may call a "witness who will say that they have been offered the potential of this treatment in this country in relation to RRM2B by another practitioner."
He said that medial confidentiality prevented him giving further details but it was "another child with this condition".
Mr Justice Francis pointed out that Charlie had been offered nucleoside bypass therapy in January, but the offer was later withdrawn as Great Ormond Street experts concluded that he had already suffered irreversible brain damage and it would not improve his quality of life.
The parents want to take Charlie to America for therapy which has never before been attempted on a human or an animal with his form of mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, which is so rare it is only known to have effect a handful of people in the world.
Dr Michio Hirano, the US professor of neurosurgery offering to treat the 11-month-old boy, has now been to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to examine him and maintains that he can help, a hearing at the High Court heard.
After studying a new brain scan and examining Charlie, Dr Hirano has not changed his opinion, which is that there is a ten per cent chance nucleoside treatment will have "meaningful success".
Charlie Gard. Photo / AP
Mr Justice Francis ruled in April that it is in Charlie's best interest for his life support to be switched off in a judgement backed by the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
But the case is being re-examined amid claims that there was new evidence about his condition.
However, the judge said that the medical opinions of the experts appear not to have changed and the disagreement between them "is largely philosophical about whether speculative or experimental treatment is to be encouraged or discouraged."
He said that he will attempt to reach a judgement on Tuesday as the court heard "every minute" was important for Charlie as if he was to have treatment he needed it now.
