Ashya King allowed to fly to Prague for treatment

[Reefa]

Brett and Naghemeh King were reunited with Ashya at the hospital in Malaga where he is being treated

The parents of five-year-old brain tumour patient Ashya King have been given permission by the High Court to take him to Prague for treatment. :yes: :thumbsup:

The Proton Therapy Center in the Czech capital said the boy was likely to go there after the weekend.

Parents Brett and Naghemeh King removed Ashya from Southampton General Hospital on 28 August after disagreeing with doctors about his treatment.

They were later arrested in Spain under a European Arrest Warrant.

Ashya is to travel to the Proton Therapy Center in Prague

Ashya was made a ward of court at the request of Portsmouth City Council, but the court ruled that status would end when he arrives at the Proton Therapy Centre in Prague.

The clinic said they "do not expect" Ashya to arrive over the weekend, with Monday being the likely earliest time he would arrive.

A spokesperson for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: "Today's judgement will allow Ashya to get the treatment he urgently needs without any further delays.

"Throughout the period that we cared for Ashya and over the last few days, our only interest has been his health, medical treatment and welfare.

"We will continue to support any clinicians involved in his future care with advice and information."

Lawyers representing the Kings had earlier been discussing his case at the High Court in a hearing conducted by telephone and involving UK and Spanish lawyers.

Mr Justice Baker approved a treatment plan after telephone discussions with legal teams representing both Mr and Mrs King and Southampton General Hospital.

The judge was told - on Tuesday - that Mr and Mrs King wanted their son to receive proton beam radiotherapy.

A lawyer representing hospital bosses said doctors aimed to provide chemotherapy but not proton beam therapy. Vikram Sachdeva said such treatment could not be provided in Britain.

Naghemeh and Brett King spent more than 24 hours in a Spanish jail

The Kings sparked a Europe-wide alert last week when they took their son out of a hospital ward without doctors' consent. They were arrested and held in Spain before a European Arrest Warrant was withdrawn, and they were reunited with their son.

Portsmouth City Council began family court litigation following Ashya's disappearance, asking for directions about the youngster's treatment.

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