Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital after European court rejects parents' appeal for his release

Martin Coulter23 April 2018

An angry mob tried to charge inside the children's hospital treating terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans after a European court overruled yet another appeal for his release.

Dozens of people protesting against the decision to withdraw life-support for the 23-month-old had earlier blocked a road outside the hospital.

They made a dash for the main entrance after a final legal appeal to continue treatment was lost.

They had broken away from a larger group of 200 protesters gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

But as they ran towards the main doors a squad of police officers scrambled to block their way, forming a line to repel the intruders.

The group of protesters known as 'Alfie's Army'
PA

After a tense stand off the crowd re-joined other protesters further away on the road outside the hospital.

The protests come as European human rights judges rejected a plea from Alfie's parents to continue life support.

Tom Evans and Kate James, who are both in their early 20s and from Liverpool, on Friday failed to persuade Supreme Court justices to consider their case.

Police officers guard the hospital entrance
PA

They had asked judges at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France, to intervene - but the judges refused.

Supporters of Alfie Evans' family began gathering outside the hospital around 10am today, their numbers swelling as the morning went on.

Alfie Evans' parents have lost the latest stage of a fight to continue his life-support treatment
PA

Around midday they briefly blocked the dual carriageway outside the hospital, an ambulance becoming trapped as traffic quickly backed up.

Protesters, linking arms and chanting, "Save Alfie Evans" allowed the ambulance to pass before abandoning the protest in the road.

Alfie's father Tom, has been broadcasting intermittently on Facebook Live from inside, where several groups of police officers have been patrolling the corridors.

Other video posted from inside showed police officers blocking the doors of a ward or treatment room as people tried to get inside.

Mr Evans briefly spoke to supporters outside the hospital, railing against the treatment of his son.

Distraught: Tom Evans and Kate James
PA

Alfie's parents had already lost one round of fights, in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and ECHR.

In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool.

Specialists at Alder Hey said life support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile.

Alfie's parents want to move their son from Alder Hey to a hospital in Rome. The couple said Italian doctors were willing to treat the little boy and an air ambulance was available.

But Mr Justice Hayden said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless.

Ruling: Tom Evans and Kate James, previously lost a high court battle
PA

Court of Appeal judges upheld his decisions. Supreme Court justices and ECHR judges refused to intervene.

The couple are now arguing that Alfie is being wrongly "detained" at Alder Hey and have made a habeas corpus application.

A writ of habeas corpus - Latin for "you may have the body" - is a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention.

It is a piece of common law which probably dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. Mr Justice Hayden has dismissed that habeas corpus claim.

Appeal judges have upheld Mr Justice Hayden's decision and on Friday Supreme Court justices said they would not intervene.

Judges have approved plans for withdrawing treatment and bringing Alfie's life to an end. On Friday, Supreme Court justices said there should be no further delay in treatment being stopped.

Additional reporting by the Press Association

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