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Archie Battersbee judge to visit brain-damaged boy in hospital

Hollie Dance Archie Battersbee unconscious in his hospital bed with tube inserted into his mouth and noseHollie Dance
Archie Battersbee was found unconscious at his home in Essex on 7 April

A High Court judge who is considering whether a boy with brain damage should continue receiving life support is due to visit him in hospital.

Archie Battersbee, 12, was found unconscious at his home in Southend, Essex, on 7 April.

Specialists at the Royal London Hospital in east London said it was "highly likely" he was dead and argued his life support treatment should end.

Archie's parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, disagree.

Ms Dance said Justice Arbuthnot, who is overseeing Archie's case at private hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London, was due to visit Archie on Friday.

"I hope she can see for herself that he's in a very different condition and has a lot more stability that what's been put over in the court room," she said.

Hollie Dance Hollie Dance with her son ArchieHollie Dance
Archie pictured with his mother Hollie Dance, who has asked for more time to allow her son to recover

The judge previously indicated she would make a decision about whether more tests were needed at a hearing the same day.

A barrister from Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the Royal London Hospital, told the court Archie had been "extensively investigated" by specialists.

But she said they were prepared to carry out further tests for "the sake of no stone being left unturned".

The judge previously heard from a specialist who said scans showed that Archie had suffered "irretrievable" brain damage.

Two other specialists said tests showed Archie was "brain-stem dead".

Hollie Dance Archie BattersbeeHollie Dance
Ms Dance described Archie as "an amazing little character"

Ms Dance said she was "adamant" her son was "still in there".

"He just needs more time," she said.

"Brains are very complex things.

"We take six to eight weeks to heal from a broken leg, this is a brain injury, I think he should be allowed to be given more time."

Ms Dance said Archie had made "progress" and had "held" her hand and "squeezed" her fingers and had "started opening his eyes, not fully, only a little bit".

"He's a born fighter," she said.

"I'm just hoping he gets long enough to fight and prove everyone wrong."

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