Judge backs doctors in Muslim man's right-to-life case

A judge has agreed to a hospital trust's request to withhold life-saving treatment from a severely brain-damaged man, despite his family's objections.

Doctors said it would be unfair to resuscitate the patient, known as Mr L, if his condition worsened.

His family argued that was against their Muslim faith.

Mr Justice Moylan said it would be lawful to withhold treatment as it would not prolong his life "in any meaningful way".

The Court of Protection case was adjourned part-way through while doctors reassessed Mr L's condition, after new video evidence appeared to show he was no longer in a persistent vegetative state.

Doctors for the Penine Acute Hospitals Trust agreed there had been a slight improvement but said it would still be unfair to prolong his life.

Mr L, 55, from Greater Manchester, suffered severe brain damage in July following a third cardiac arrest.