The parents of seriously ill toddler Alfie Evans have been embroiled in a legal battle over his life support treatment.
Here is how events have unfolded since his birth in 2016.
9 May 2016
Alfie is born in Liverpool to parents Tom Evans and Kate James, then 19 and 18 respectively.
14 December 2016
Alfie is admitted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital after suffering seizures and remains there for the next 12 months.
11 December 2017
Hospital bosses say they are “liaising directly” with Alfie’s family after disagreements over his treatment.
His parents say the hospital has applied to the High Court to remove parental rights and withdraw ventilation.
19 December 2017
Mr Justice Hayden begins overseeing the case at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.
Alder Hey says continuing life-support treatment would not be in Alfie’s best interests, but his parents disagree and say they want permission to fly him to Italy for treatment.
The judge says he will make a decision on what is best for Alfie.
1 February 2018
Lawyers acting for the hospital tell a High Court hearing that further treatment for Alfie is unkind and inhumane.
2 February 2018
One of Alfie’s doctors tells the judge there is “no hope” for the youngster, who is in a semi-vegetative state from a degenerative neurological condition that medics have not been able to definitively identify.
5 February 2018
Mr Evans tells the court Alfie looks him “in the eye” and wants his help.
20 February 2018
Mr Justice Hayden rules in favour of hospital bosses, saying he accepts medical evidence which shows further treatment was futile.
1 March 2018
Three Court of Appeal judges begin analysing the case after Alfie’s parents mount a challenge to the High Court ruling.
The family ask for the appeal hearing to be adjourned for a few weeks so they can discuss the ruling with lawyers, but the judges refuse.
6 March 2018
Court of Appeal judges uphold the decision of Mr Justice Hayden.
8 March 2018
Alfie’s parents ask for the case to be considered by Supreme Court justices.
20 March 2018
Supreme Court justices refuse to give the couple permission to mount another appeal.
28 March 2018
Judges at the European Court of Human Rights reject a bid from Alfie’s parents for them to examine issues relating to the toddler’s future, saying they find no appearance of any human rights violation.
4 April 2018
Pope Francis voices support for Alfie’s parents, tweeting: “It is my sincere hope that everything necessary may be done in order to continue compassionately accompanying little Alfie Evans, and that the deep suffering of his parents may be heard.”
11 April 2018
Mr Justice Hayden endorses an end-of-life care plan for Alfie drawn up by specialists.
12 April 2018
Protesters gather outside Alder Hey hospital as Alfie’s father insists he has the right to take him home.
16 April 2018
Alfie’s parents argue he is being wrongly “detained” at Alder Hey and make a habeas corpus application, a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention.
Judges at the Court of Appeal in London rule against them and again uphold the decisions of Mr Justice Hayden.
Merseyside Police launch an investigation into “instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation” among protesters outside the hospital.
Judges raise concerns about reports that ambulances and staff are unable to enter the hospital and that patients and their families had been frightened.
Alfie’s parents apologise, saying they did not intend to “harm or cause conflict or upset”.
17 April 2018
Mr Evans and Ms James ask Supreme Court justices to consider their case for a second time.
18 April 2018
Mr Evans flies to Rome and meets Pope Francis. He kisses the Pope’s hand and begs the leader of the Catholic Church to save Alfie’s life.
20 April 2018
The Supreme Court rules against Alfie’s parents for a second time, refusing them permission to appeal the decision.
The couple make an application to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to take Alfie to Rome for treatment.
23 April 2018
The European Court of Human Rights refuses the application made by Alfie’s parents, saying it is “inadmissible”.
About 200 protesters gather outside Alder Hey, where Alfie has been receiving treatment, as police are forced to stop dozens of people charging at the doors.
Alfie is granted Italian citizenship in a bid to facilitate moving him to Italy to receive treatment.
A High Court Judge dismisses new submissions made in private by the lawyers for Alfie’s parents via telephone.
Mr Evans says life support is withdrawn by doctors at Alder Hey and his son has been breathing for himself since 9.17pm.
24 April 2018
Mr Evans says doctors are “gobsmacked” that his son is breathing nine hours after his life support ended.
An emergency High Court hearing is called where Mr Justice Hayden calls Alfie a “warrior” but says the case has reached its “final chapter”.
The judge rules that the family cannot take Alfie to Italy for treatment. He advises the boy’s parents to “explore” other options, such as removing Alfie from intensive care either to a ward, a hospice or his home.
From – SkyNews
