00:00In a judgment on Wednesday, Mr Justice McKendrick, a judge in the Court of Protection, said it is contrary to
00:07the patient known as FHR's best interests, as it is futile and consigns to an existence of distress with such
00:15limited consciousness and communication that his life is devoid of comfort or pleasure.
00:20The judge added there is little prospect of that ever changing. He ordered that food and water should be withdrawn
00:28and the man put on palliative care.
00:31Mr Justice McKendrick also said there is no dispute whatsoever that the man from London does not have capacity to
00:39make decisions for himself.
00:41The man's parents resisted the application by NHS North East London ICB to withdraw food and water and at a
00:51four-day trial earlier this month, the court heard how they believe him to be responsive.
00:56They said their son was shedding tears and smiling when they talked to him.
01:00But Mr Justice McKendrick said these views are much more subjective than objective tests, which found him to be unresponsive.
01:09Adding they are not meaningful responses but are reflexive.
01:13After five years of living in an adapted home, the man was moved to a care home, after which he
01:19was admitted to hospital five times.
01:22Mr Justice McKendrick said contact between the man and his family was restricted from in-person calls to daily video
01:29calls.
