A father of a brain-damaged boy has been banned from visiting his dying son in hospital.
Lanre Haastrup has pleaded with a High Court judge to overturn the ban imposed by King’s College Hospital, where 12-month-old Isiah Haastrup is being treated.
Lawyers representing the hospital said in the Family Division of the High Court that the ban was imposed on Mr Haastrup due to concerns regarding his behaviour.
Mr Haastrup claimed he had done ‘nothing wrong’ and that his young son could die within days.
Mr Haastrup said: ‘I have a right to see my son. If he dies without me seeing him I would be irreparably damaged.’
Lanre Haastrup (father) and Takesha Thomas (mother), parents of Isaiah Haastrup arrive at the High Court, London ahead of appealing a decision from a judge who ruled that their son must be taken off life support
‘I just had a conversation,’ he added, ‘Certain people seem not to want to hear what I have to say.’
Mr Haastrup said he was banned from the hospital late last year.
He said last year’s ban had been lifted after he agreed to visit at certain hours accompanied by security staff.
But he told Mr Justice Newton that a ban had now been re-imposed.
A legal challenge in the Court of Appeal was mounted after a High Court ruled that doctors could stop providing life-support to Isaiah.
The hearing was held at the High Court in London last month, and specialist at King’s College Hospital said giving further intensive treatment to the boy was ‘futile, burdensome and not in his best interests’.
Both Mr Haastrup and the boy’s mother, Takesha Thomas, both from Peckham, south-east London, wanted the treatment to continue.
Despite their pleas, Mr Justice MacDonald ruled in favour of the hospital bosses. But he said doctors should continue treating Isaiah until appeal judges had considered the case.
Lanre Hasstrup, left, pictured with his partner Takesha Thomas, right, has been barred by staff from King’s College Hospital in London where their infant son Isaiah is being treated
Isaiah suffered ‘catastrophic’ brain damage due to being deprived of oxygen at birth
Mr Haastrup challenged Mr Justice MacDonald’s ruling at a Court of Appeal hearing which began on Wednesday morning.
He said he thought that he could assemble new evidence about treatments which could help Isaiah. Three appeal judges will deliver a ruling on Friday.
When that appeal hearing ended, Mr Haastrup made his way to the hearing before Mr Justice Newton, which was staged in another courtroom in the Royal Courts of Justice complex.
He told Mr Justice Newton that he had been notified of the ban in a letter earlier this week.
Barrister Fiona Paterson, who is leading the trust’s legal team, said bosses were trying to deal with the issue in a ‘humane way’ while maintaining a calm atmosphere in the unit where Isaiah was being treated.
She said arrangements had been made to temporarily relax the ban so that Mr Haastrup could attend a meeting with doctors on Thursday.
The judge is due to analyse evidence at a further hearing on Thursday.
Isaiah, pictured, suffered serious brain damage due to possible oxygen deprivation which experts at King’s College Hospital claim makes further intensive care treatment ‘futile’
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