'They are going to kill him in England or turn him into a vegetable': Father of cancer boy Ashya says he would have gone to prison for years to prevent him from having damaging treatment
Brett King also claimed that Southampton General Hospital
knew he planned to take the five-year-old abroad yet he and his wife
Naghmeh were hunted across Europe by police and 'treated like
terrorists'. They were freed from a notorious Madrid jail last night
after a humiliating climbdown by British authorities over their arrest
for child neglect. A judge ordered the immediate release of the couple
after the European arrest warrant against them was dropped - following a
sustained campaign of outrage over their treatment. Mr King said: 'They
are going to kill him in England or turn him into a vegetable. I would
happily spend years in jail to stop my son getting treatment that would
kill him or leave him disabled. I would do it all again'.
Ashya King's father said today he would 'happily spend years in jail' to stop the NHS treating his son because its doctors 'are going to kill him or turn him into a vegetable'.
Brett King also claimed that Southampton General Hospital knew he would take the five-year-old abroad yet he and his wife Naghmeh were hunted across Europe by police and 'treated like terrorists'.
He almost broke down as he told reporters they are desperate to see Ashya because he 'hasn't got too many months to live'
Last night they were freed from a notorious Madrid jail last night after a humiliating climbdown by British authorities over their arrest for child neglect.
A judge ordered the immediate release of the couple after the European arrest warrant against them was dropped – following a sustained campaign of outrage over their treatment.
But NHS doctors still maintain the family put Ashya's life at risk be taking him, 'had to call the police', and are 'sad' for the five-year-old because 'he is not getting the treatment he needs'.
Mr King, who wants his son to have
proton therapy on his brain tumour in Prague, not radiotherapy offered
in the UK, said: 'They are going to kill him in England or turn him into
a vegetable.
‘I would happily spend years in jail to stop my son getting treatment that would kill him or leave him disabled. I would do it all again'.
They are yet to be reunited with their son and stayed in Seville last night ahead of a meeting with their lawyer this morning. They will see Ashya in hospital in Malaga this afternoon.
Brett King, who said he was 'still shaking' after his release but 'not angry', told the BBC: 'My heart is aching for my son. I want to see my son's face.
Brett King today described the events
since they removed Ashya from Southampton General Hospital as 'not
real' and claimed he informed the hospital about his plans to seek
proton therapy for his son abroad.
But he kept the date that he intended to take him secret for fear he would be stopped.
'The hospital knew that we were going to get proton therapy', he said.
'I told the doctor: "I'm paying for it myself but I haven't got the money, I need to sell my house". I said to them "I'm going. The NHS is not going to pay, I've got to sort this out for my son".'
But he claimed he could not disclose when he planned to remove Ashya because he had previously been 'threatened'.
'I couldn't actually tell them the day because they had threatened me previously,' he said.
'When I just asked 'What is cancer? How did my son get it? Is there any alternatives?', straight away they said if I ask any more questions the right for me to make a decision would be taken away from me because they get an immediate court paper to say that they have right over my child.
'So from that moment I had so much fear to mention anything to them because they could have stopped my son getting any treatment and just forcing this very strong treatment on him. From that moment on I had to keep everything quiet.'
Mr King said the family went to Spain to visit their holiday home with the intention of selling it before travelling to Prague for the proton therapy.
Mr King said: 'When I saw there were police outside we panicked, we didn't know what to do so we just went towards Malaga because my wife said there was a good hospital.
He added: 'My children were at the swimming pool, we were just trying to enjoy ourselves as a family. Then someone said to us that someone has called the police. I said 'OK, we are not going to run any more. This is it we are going to face this because I don't know why they are after us'. I told them we are taking my son out.
'I said ... we will stay here and sort this out but then they arrested me.'
Mr King described the uncertainty
they faced about their son's condition after they were detained in Soto
del Real prison near Madrid.
Mr King said: 'When we were in prison there wasn't a minute that went by without our hearts hurting to see Ashya. My wife spent most of the time crying in the cell.
'I was going to ask to move cells because I was worried and I couldn't listen to my wife crying. When you are locked up you can't do anything.'
He said: 'What is going to happen to Ashya without us? We didn't know what was happening because they arrested us and directly they took our son away.
'We said "You don't even really know what's wrong with him. He needs therapy on his legs, on his arms. You need to turn him from side to side".'
'But they're not interested. They just want to take him away from us.'
He said he does not 'feel good' but added: 'Hopefully now we can see our son, we can be together and show love to him because without that there's no purpose to life.
'We just want to help my son get through this bad time because he hasn't got too many months to live and we are locked away in a cell. No-one can do anything.
'We are trying to speed things up to help him as much as possible.'
He thanked Prime Minister David Cameron and 'anyone who has helped release us'.
His wife Naghmeh said she spent days in her prison cell 'crying and praying' to see her son again, who was lying alone and critically ill in a hospital bed hundreds of miles away.
Asked what the ordeal had been like, Mrs King said: 'All I was doing all the time was crying and crying. What could I do in a prison cell?'
In an earlier interview, Mrs King told the BBC she was 'very tired', adding: 'I was with Ashya in hospital in Southampton 24 hours a day, changing his nappies, doing everything.
'That's my responsibility as a mother and I was very, very happy to do it.
'As soon as we left the hospital and were later arrested I couldn't do all that. I've been missing him for three days and now I really want to get back with him.'
As they left the Madrid prison shortly after 10.30pm local time, Ashya’s father Brett, 51, told waiting reporters: ‘We’ve got to go and see our son, we’ve missed him so much. Thank you so much, thanks you so much everyone for your support. Thank you to Spain and thank you to England.’
Brain tumour patient Ashya King is set to go to the Czech Republic for the treatment his parents wanted him to receive.
The five-year-old's medical records have been sent to the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague, which said it had agreed the specialised technique is suitable for him.
The development came as Ashya's parents Brett and Naghmeh prepared to be reunited with their son.
They were freed from Soto del Real prison near Madrid after British authorities dropped the case against them amid a storm of criticism.
A spokesman for the PTC disclosed that it had received additional information concerning the status of Ashya's health.
He said Dr Gary Nicolin, a consultant paediatric oncologist and lead for paediatric neuro-oncology at the Department of Paediatric Oncology at University
Hospital Southampton, had sent complete medical reports, including operation notes, histology reports and imaging reports.
He said the PTC medical board reviewed this documentation at 8am today.
Dr Jiri Kubes, head of proton therapy at Proton Therapy Center Czech, said: 'We have agreed that proton therapy is a suitable method of treatment for Ashya.
'So, Ashya shall go for proton therapy to the Czech Republic. However, prior to this he will need to return to England first.'
The centre said Dr Nicolin had confirmed that Ashya must first undergo two cycles of chemotherapy, which are expected to take several weeks.
After that he would be able to travel to Prague for proton therapy, the spokesman said.
A fundraising page set up to help pay for the treatment has so far raised more than £21,000.
Earlier,
David Cameron called for ‘a rapid outbreak of common sense’ to reunite
the family and ensure Ashya received the best possible cancer care.
After it was resolved he said today: 'To be fair to the authorities involved in the case of Aysha King, they all want to do the best for the child. That's what they are thinking of.
'But I think what happened was that decisions were taken that weren't correct and didn't chime with a sense of common sense. That, fortunately, has been put right.
'What all of us in public life and public offices have to do is examine what the legal requirements are, but also make a judgment, and those judgments can sometimes be all-important.'
Ashya’s aunt Tracy King said the treatment of her family had made her ‘ashamed to be British’, and his grandmother Patricia added: ‘The authorities who have been involved in this case need to hang their heads in shame.’
Ashya’s brother Danny, 23, said: ‘Without the Press our parents would still be in prison. When they told me [they had been released] I leaned on the wall, tears coming out in shock. We’ve been fighting with everyone trying to get them out. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. Everything has been bad news up to now.’
The five-year-old's grandmother has spoken of her relief at their release and accused the authorities of incessant 'lies and u-turns',
'They (Brett and Naghmeh) must have had a terrible time of it,' she said.
Mrs King said she expected the family would take Ashya to Prague for proton beam treatment as soon as they were allowed to 'get it done because there is no time to delay'.
She said: 'They have had offers from America but that would be too far for him to travel. The pressure from the plane, he would not be able to stand it'.
Mrs King said a European arrest warrant should never have been issued in the first place and criticised Hampshire Constabulary and Southampton General Hospital for the way they had dealt with the situation.
She said: 'Everyone is trying to backtrack after lying - the police, the hospital.
'They have not told a word of truth to try and make themselves look good.
'It's been lies and then U-turns.'
Naveed King told ITV News that progress was being made to get Ashya to the Czech Republic for treatment as soon as possible.
He said: 'We can now just carry on with what we had planned to give him the proton beam treatment, you know, if it's the go ahead with all the doctors... to allow Ashya to be treated. As far as I know, it is.
'Progress is being made to get Ashya to the Czech Republic to get everything sorted as soon as possible.
'I am still waiting on news.'
Speaking earlier, immediately
after hearing the news of his parents' release, he said 'All i can tell
you that they're being released right now in Madrid without any charges.
'We're going to get them to Ashya as soon as possible.
He told Sky News: 'I'm in shock at the moment we've been waiting for this moment to come and it's finally came.
'I just want to say thank you to everyone - I've heard about Nick Clegg and David Cameron, I want to thank them as well for supporting our cause.
'I visited Ashya this morning... he was super-thrilled to have someone there with him. He's very unhappy when I leave because he doesn't know anyone else there - there's two police guards and a nurse who don't speak English.'
His brother, Naveed, 20, said on Facebook: ‘Breaking news: My parents are
now free! Spread the word! Wow this is amazing! So Overjoyed! Wow!’
Danny said he had been allowed to see Ashya and the sick youngster had seemed confused by his family’s absence in hospital.
He said: ‘He is OK but doesn’t understand why no one is there with him. I saw him and he smiled at me and looked away. I had to try and gain his confidence again.
‘It’s very important when people are sick to have someone with them they know and love. I hope he isn’t stressed and hope for the best that this hasn’t affected Ashya. When I went in there, he was crying.’
Mr King and his 45-year-old wife were arrested on suspicion of child cruelty on Saturday night, two days after they took their desperately ill son out of Southampton General Hospital and travelled to Spain.
The Crown Prosecution Service issued a European Arrest Warrant after the hospital warned that five-year-old Ashya’s feeding tube would run out of power, putting his life in danger.
The decision prompted an international manhunt for the family and has been criticised as too heavy-handed – particularly because the arrests meant Ashya was left alone in hospital.
An online petition calling for Ashya to be reunited with his parents had attracted nearly 200,000 signatures yesterday.
Ethan Dallas, 16, a friend of Naveed King, who started the petition, delivered it to Downing Street today and said the case had ‘touched the heart of nations’.
Hundreds of miles from their son Ashya, Brett and Naghmeh King face were held in a notorious Madrid high security jail before their release tonight.
The couple were sent to Soto del Real prison 40km north of the Spanish capital yesterday as a judge considers their extradition case.
Mr and Mrs King appeared in court yesterday and were being held in separate wings of the jail and not able to see eachother.
Soto del Real has 1,600 inmates and contains some of Spain's most notorious prisoners including murderers and sex offenders.
It also contains high-profile Basque separatists accused of acts of terror.
Prisoners are allowed to make two free, five-minute phone calls per day and are allowed one face-to-face visitor per week.
Cells contain two prisoners, who are allowed out for an hour to exercise in its sports hall.
The prison has a stark, modern design, with giant watchtower at its heart. It also has no vegetation surrounding it.
Whatever
type of treatment Ashya receives, it must start next week if he is to
receive the full benefit. His family must now show the High Court a full
medical plan for him and proof that they can pay for the treatment. The
Proton Therapy Centre in Prague has said it is ready to accept Ashya as
a patient.
In Portsmouth, where the family live, Ashya’s grandmother Patricia King, 77, said: ‘We’re absolutely overjoyed, but there are some serious questions which need answering.
‘Why were Ashya’s parents treated like criminals when they just wanted to help their son?
‘It’s unforgivable that the authorities stole their son from them and locked them up.’
The CPS said it issued the arrest warrant at the request of Hampshire Constabulary because of ‘a reasonable suspicion that Ashya’s health and safety were likely to be seriously harmed if he was not returned to medical care urgently’.
A spokesman said: ‘The CPS has urgently reviewed the case and we consider there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence. We have therefore decided to stop the criminal proceedings.’
Criticism over the handling of the case peaked when a string of politicians called for the case against the Kings to be dropped. London Mayor Boris Johnson said: ‘Every person’s instinct will be that the parents have care of the child. Somebody’s going to have to do some very, very lengthy explaining about what the hell went on here.’
Former children’s minister Tim Loughton said the situation was a ‘shambles’.
He added: ‘They are being treated as criminals – it is outrageous.’
Southampton General Hospital said it would not seek to block the couple from taking Ashya to the Czech Republic for proton beam therapy, but defended its own cancer care as the ‘best possible treatment’.
A spokesman said: ‘We are pleased that Ashya’s parents will be released and will be able to see their son. When Ashya went missing last week we had no option but to call the police because we did not know where he was or what his parents’ intentions were.
‘The police asked us to make statements about his clinical condition and need of medical care and we stand by the accuracy of the information we gave them.
‘No hospital should be deterred from raising the alarm when they have doubts about the safety of a child.’
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said one of Britain’s leading cancer specialists was ready to fly to Spain to advise the Kings about Ashya’s treatment.
He added: ‘The NHS does fund proton beam therapy for children who need it. It’s not always appropriate, it’s not always safe.’
'They are going to kill him in England or turn him into a vegetable': Father of cancer boy Ashya says he would have gone to prison for years to prevent him from having damaging treatment in UK
- Brett and Naghmeh King leave Madrid prison after cruelty charges dropped
- Their ill son is 'upset' because he does not understand why family left him
- Brain cancer patient Ashya will be reunited with his parents this afternoon
- The CPS finally dropped child cruelty arrest warrant and extradition attempt
- Ashya, five, remains under armed guard hours away in Malaga hospital bed
- Petition for family to be reunited attracted more than 200,000 signatures
- Family say support of the Press was vital to securing their release
- Preparations begin for Ashya to receive proton therapy treatment in Prague
Ashya King's father said today he would 'happily spend years in jail' to stop the NHS treating his son because its doctors 'are going to kill him or turn him into a vegetable'.
Brett King also claimed that Southampton General Hospital knew he would take the five-year-old abroad yet he and his wife Naghmeh were hunted across Europe by police and 'treated like terrorists'.
He almost broke down as he told reporters they are desperate to see Ashya because he 'hasn't got too many months to live'
Last night they were freed from a notorious Madrid jail last night after a humiliating climbdown by British authorities over their arrest for child neglect.
A judge ordered the immediate release of the couple after the European arrest warrant against them was dropped – following a sustained campaign of outrage over their treatment.
But NHS doctors still maintain the family put Ashya's life at risk be taking him, 'had to call the police', and are 'sad' for the five-year-old because 'he is not getting the treatment he needs'.
Scroll down for video
Anger: Ashya King's father Brett, pictured with
his wife Naghmeh, said today that the NHS would have 'killed or turned
his son into a vegetable'
Final journey: The couple will be reunited with
their son this afternoon after days in jail and admitted the
five-year-old only has months to live
Freedom: Brett and Naghemeh King, centre and
left, leave Soto Del Real prison in Madrid, Spain, last night after the
the CPS dropped their case - the couple said today they are 'aching to
see their son'
Alone: Ashya King has been separated from his
family and remains under police guard in a hospital hundreds of miles
from his parents
‘I would happily spend years in jail to stop my son getting treatment that would kill him or leave him disabled. I would do it all again'.
They are yet to be reunited with their son and stayed in Seville last night ahead of a meeting with their lawyer this morning. They will see Ashya in hospital in Malaga this afternoon.
Brett King, who said he was 'still shaking' after his release but 'not angry', told the BBC: 'My heart is aching for my son. I want to see my son's face.
BRETT KING: 'ASHYA'S DOCTORS KNEW WE WOULD GO ABROAD'
But he kept the date that he intended to take him secret for fear he would be stopped.
'The hospital knew that we were going to get proton therapy', he said.
'I told the doctor: "I'm paying for it myself but I haven't got the money, I need to sell my house". I said to them "I'm going. The NHS is not going to pay, I've got to sort this out for my son".'
But he claimed he could not disclose when he planned to remove Ashya because he had previously been 'threatened'.
'I couldn't actually tell them the day because they had threatened me previously,' he said.
'When I just asked 'What is cancer? How did my son get it? Is there any alternatives?', straight away they said if I ask any more questions the right for me to make a decision would be taken away from me because they get an immediate court paper to say that they have right over my child.
'So from that moment I had so much fear to mention anything to them because they could have stopped my son getting any treatment and just forcing this very strong treatment on him. From that moment on I had to keep everything quiet.'
Mr King said the family went to Spain to visit their holiday home with the intention of selling it before travelling to Prague for the proton therapy.
Mr King said: 'When I saw there were police outside we panicked, we didn't know what to do so we just went towards Malaga because my wife said there was a good hospital.
He added: 'My children were at the swimming pool, we were just trying to enjoy ourselves as a family. Then someone said to us that someone has called the police. I said 'OK, we are not going to run any more. This is it we are going to face this because I don't know why they are after us'. I told them we are taking my son out.
'I said ... we will stay here and sort this out but then they arrested me.'
Mr King said: 'When we were in prison there wasn't a minute that went by without our hearts hurting to see Ashya. My wife spent most of the time crying in the cell.
'I was going to ask to move cells because I was worried and I couldn't listen to my wife crying. When you are locked up you can't do anything.'
He said: 'What is going to happen to Ashya without us? We didn't know what was happening because they arrested us and directly they took our son away.
'We said "You don't even really know what's wrong with him. He needs therapy on his legs, on his arms. You need to turn him from side to side".'
'But they're not interested. They just want to take him away from us.'
He said he does not 'feel good' but added: 'Hopefully now we can see our son, we can be together and show love to him because without that there's no purpose to life.
'We just want to help my son get through this bad time because he hasn't got too many months to live and we are locked away in a cell. No-one can do anything.
'We are trying to speed things up to help him as much as possible.'
He thanked Prime Minister David Cameron and 'anyone who has helped release us'.
His wife Naghmeh said she spent days in her prison cell 'crying and praying' to see her son again, who was lying alone and critically ill in a hospital bed hundreds of miles away.
Asked what the ordeal had been like, Mrs King said: 'All I was doing all the time was crying and crying. What could I do in a prison cell?'
In an earlier interview, Mrs King told the BBC she was 'very tired', adding: 'I was with Ashya in hospital in Southampton 24 hours a day, changing his nappies, doing everything.
'That's my responsibility as a mother and I was very, very happy to do it.
'As soon as we left the hospital and were later arrested I couldn't do all that. I've been missing him for three days and now I really want to get back with him.'
As they left the Madrid prison shortly after 10.30pm local time, Ashya’s father Brett, 51, told waiting reporters: ‘We’ve got to go and see our son, we’ve missed him so much. Thank you so much, thanks you so much everyone for your support. Thank you to Spain and thank you to England.’
Rebuttal: Mr King also
claimed the Southampton hospital his five-year-old son was in knew that
he wanted to take him to Europe for treatment
Anger: Ashya King's father Brett, pictured with his wife Naghmeh, said radiotherapy offered to his son in the UK would kill him
Allegations: Mr King said that he was willing to go to prison again for his son to ensure he has the right treatment
ASHYA SET TO HEAD FOR PRAGUE FOR CANCER TREATMENT
The five-year-old's medical records have been sent to the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) in Prague, which said it had agreed the specialised technique is suitable for him.
The development came as Ashya's parents Brett and Naghmeh prepared to be reunited with their son.
They were freed from Soto del Real prison near Madrid after British authorities dropped the case against them amid a storm of criticism.
A spokesman for the PTC disclosed that it had received additional information concerning the status of Ashya's health.
He said Dr Gary Nicolin, a consultant paediatric oncologist and lead for paediatric neuro-oncology at the Department of Paediatric Oncology at University
Hospital Southampton, had sent complete medical reports, including operation notes, histology reports and imaging reports.
He said the PTC medical board reviewed this documentation at 8am today.
Dr Jiri Kubes, head of proton therapy at Proton Therapy Center Czech, said: 'We have agreed that proton therapy is a suitable method of treatment for Ashya.
'So, Ashya shall go for proton therapy to the Czech Republic. However, prior to this he will need to return to England first.'
The centre said Dr Nicolin had confirmed that Ashya must first undergo two cycles of chemotherapy, which are expected to take several weeks.
After that he would be able to travel to Prague for proton therapy, the spokesman said.
A fundraising page set up to help pay for the treatment has so far raised more than £21,000.
After it was resolved he said today: 'To be fair to the authorities involved in the case of Aysha King, they all want to do the best for the child. That's what they are thinking of.
'But I think what happened was that decisions were taken that weren't correct and didn't chime with a sense of common sense. That, fortunately, has been put right.
'What all of us in public life and public offices have to do is examine what the legal requirements are, but also make a judgment, and those judgments can sometimes be all-important.'
Ashya’s aunt Tracy King said the treatment of her family had made her ‘ashamed to be British’, and his grandmother Patricia added: ‘The authorities who have been involved in this case need to hang their heads in shame.’
Ashya’s brother Danny, 23, said: ‘Without the Press our parents would still be in prison. When they told me [they had been released] I leaned on the wall, tears coming out in shock. We’ve been fighting with everyone trying to get them out. I was in shock. I couldn’t believe it. Everything has been bad news up to now.’
The five-year-old's grandmother has spoken of her relief at their release and accused the authorities of incessant 'lies and u-turns',
'They (Brett and Naghmeh) must have had a terrible time of it,' she said.
Mrs King said she expected the family would take Ashya to Prague for proton beam treatment as soon as they were allowed to 'get it done because there is no time to delay'.
She said: 'They have had offers from America but that would be too far for him to travel. The pressure from the plane, he would not be able to stand it'.
Mrs King said a European arrest warrant should never have been issued in the first place and criticised Hampshire Constabulary and Southampton General Hospital for the way they had dealt with the situation.
She said: 'Everyone is trying to backtrack after lying - the police, the hospital.
'They have not told a word of truth to try and make themselves look good.
'It's been lies and then U-turns.'
Naveed King told ITV News that progress was being made to get Ashya to the Czech Republic for treatment as soon as possible.
He said: 'We can now just carry on with what we had planned to give him the proton beam treatment, you know, if it's the go ahead with all the doctors... to allow Ashya to be treated. As far as I know, it is.
'Progress is being made to get Ashya to the Czech Republic to get everything sorted as soon as possible.
'I am still waiting on news.'
Meeting: Mr and Mrs King stayed in Seville last
night ahead of a meeting with their legal team and will then go to
Malaga to see their son Ashya, who is in hospital
Relief: Naghmeh King, far left, and her husband Brett, far right, emerge from Soto Del Real prison near Madrid last night
Tough: A Spanish High Court judge ruled that Mr
and Mrs King (pictured leaving Velex Malaga police station) can be held
for up to 72 hours while he decides on his response to a British
extradition request. They are hundreds of miles from their ill son
Ashya, and banned from seeing him
Trying times: Magmeh King is pictured getting into a car after leaving the Spanish prison and will see their son today
First words: Brett King, pictured, has been held in the Soto Del Real jail for several days after he took his son to Spain
New access: Danny King smiles as he leaves
Hospital Materno Infantil in Malaga yesterday afternoon after visiting
his five-year-old brother Ashya King, who he says 'is doing well'
Ashya King is in the Materno Infantil Hospital in Malaga, southern Spain, and has only been able to see his oldest brother
'We're going to get them to Ashya as soon as possible.
He told Sky News: 'I'm in shock at the moment we've been waiting for this moment to come and it's finally came.
'I just want to say thank you to everyone - I've heard about Nick Clegg and David Cameron, I want to thank them as well for supporting our cause.
'I visited Ashya this morning... he was super-thrilled to have someone there with him. He's very unhappy when I leave because he doesn't know anyone else there - there's two police guards and a nurse who don't speak English.'
HOSPITAL: ASHYA CAN HAVE THE TREATMENT HIS PARENTS WANTED
The
NHS Trust where Ashya King was treated no longer objects to the
five-year-old having expensive proton beam therapy, the High Court
heard.
Vikram Sachdeva, for Southampton University Hospitals Trust, even suggested Prague as a possible venue for the treatment - the clinic that Brett and Naghmeh King has wanted.
'As long as the transfer was arranged and it was safe, in principle we have no objection,' he said.
Asked the King parents were acting responsibly in demanding proton therapy, the lawyer said, 'It is a view they are entitled to.
'It is not a treatment the trust are offering.'
Mr Sachdeva said proton therapy was 'no better or worse than radiotherapy'.
Southampton University Hospitals Trust initially approached Portsmouth City Council, and won a court order making Ashya a ward of the court.
Mr Justice Baker said it would be 'quite wrong' to come to a final decision about the child's treatment without the input of Ashya's parents.
He adjourned the case until next Monday and said he hoped the CPS would have discharged the arrest warrant by then.
Miss Chaudry, for the CPS, said she would seek to begin the process when the Spanish courts next sat.
Vikram Sachdeva, for Southampton University Hospitals Trust, even suggested Prague as a possible venue for the treatment - the clinic that Brett and Naghmeh King has wanted.
'As long as the transfer was arranged and it was safe, in principle we have no objection,' he said.
Asked the King parents were acting responsibly in demanding proton therapy, the lawyer said, 'It is a view they are entitled to.
'It is not a treatment the trust are offering.'
Mr Sachdeva said proton therapy was 'no better or worse than radiotherapy'.
Southampton University Hospitals Trust initially approached Portsmouth City Council, and won a court order making Ashya a ward of the court.
Mr Justice Baker said it would be 'quite wrong' to come to a final decision about the child's treatment without the input of Ashya's parents.
He adjourned the case until next Monday and said he hoped the CPS would have discharged the arrest warrant by then.
Miss Chaudry, for the CPS, said she would seek to begin the process when the Spanish courts next sat.
Danny said he had been allowed to see Ashya and the sick youngster had seemed confused by his family’s absence in hospital.
He said: ‘He is OK but doesn’t understand why no one is there with him. I saw him and he smiled at me and looked away. I had to try and gain his confidence again.
‘It’s very important when people are sick to have someone with them they know and love. I hope he isn’t stressed and hope for the best that this hasn’t affected Ashya. When I went in there, he was crying.’
Mr King and his 45-year-old wife were arrested on suspicion of child cruelty on Saturday night, two days after they took their desperately ill son out of Southampton General Hospital and travelled to Spain.
The Crown Prosecution Service issued a European Arrest Warrant after the hospital warned that five-year-old Ashya’s feeding tube would run out of power, putting his life in danger.
The decision prompted an international manhunt for the family and has been criticised as too heavy-handed – particularly because the arrests meant Ashya was left alone in hospital.
An online petition calling for Ashya to be reunited with his parents had attracted nearly 200,000 signatures yesterday.
Ethan Dallas, 16, a friend of Naveed King, who started the petition, delivered it to Downing Street today and said the case had ‘touched the heart of nations’.
At the
High Court, where Ashya is a ward of court, Judge Mr Justice Baker said:
‘Whatever the rights and wrongs about the treatment issues and his
removal, this court is very concerned that this little boy has been
separated from his parents.’
Petition: More than 200,000 people demanded that Ashya be reunited with his parents - and it will become a reality
Direct action: Family campaigner Sanjay Ganatra
and the King's friend Ethan hand a petition into Downing Street asking
the PM to reunite Ashya with his parents
Reaction: David Cameron said he was pleased the CPS had dropped any charges and the family would be reunited
ASHYA'S PARENTS ARE HELD SEPARATELY IN NOTORIOUS JAIL
Hundreds of miles from their son Ashya, Brett and Naghmeh King face were held in a notorious Madrid high security jail before their release tonight.
The couple were sent to Soto del Real prison 40km north of the Spanish capital yesterday as a judge considers their extradition case.
Mr and Mrs King appeared in court yesterday and were being held in separate wings of the jail and not able to see eachother.
Soto del Real has 1,600 inmates and contains some of Spain's most notorious prisoners including murderers and sex offenders.
It also contains high-profile Basque separatists accused of acts of terror.
Prisoners are allowed to make two free, five-minute phone calls per day and are allowed one face-to-face visitor per week.
Cells contain two prisoners, who are allowed out for an hour to exercise in its sports hall.
The prison has a stark, modern design, with giant watchtower at its heart. It also has no vegetation surrounding it.
In Portsmouth, where the family live, Ashya’s grandmother Patricia King, 77, said: ‘We’re absolutely overjoyed, but there are some serious questions which need answering.
‘Why were Ashya’s parents treated like criminals when they just wanted to help their son?
‘It’s unforgivable that the authorities stole their son from them and locked them up.’
The CPS said it issued the arrest warrant at the request of Hampshire Constabulary because of ‘a reasonable suspicion that Ashya’s health and safety were likely to be seriously harmed if he was not returned to medical care urgently’.
A spokesman said: ‘The CPS has urgently reviewed the case and we consider there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence. We have therefore decided to stop the criminal proceedings.’
Criticism over the handling of the case peaked when a string of politicians called for the case against the Kings to be dropped. London Mayor Boris Johnson said: ‘Every person’s instinct will be that the parents have care of the child. Somebody’s going to have to do some very, very lengthy explaining about what the hell went on here.’
Former children’s minister Tim Loughton said the situation was a ‘shambles’.
He added: ‘They are being treated as criminals – it is outrageous.’
Southampton General Hospital said it would not seek to block the couple from taking Ashya to the Czech Republic for proton beam therapy, but defended its own cancer care as the ‘best possible treatment’.
A spokesman said: ‘We are pleased that Ashya’s parents will be released and will be able to see their son. When Ashya went missing last week we had no option but to call the police because we did not know where he was or what his parents’ intentions were.
‘The police asked us to make statements about his clinical condition and need of medical care and we stand by the accuracy of the information we gave them.
Care: Brett King (pictured with Ashya) and his
wife Nagmeh took their terminally ill son from Southampton General
Hospital without consent last Thursday. They are now being held in a
Madrid jail
Ordeal: Ashya with his mother Naghmeh. The Kings want to take their son to the Czech Republic for private treatment
Ill: Ashya's brother Naveed (pictured right) said police have been standing guard outside the hospital room to stop visitors
Mr and Mrs King are being held separately in the
Soto del Real prison 40km north of the Spanish capital yesterday as a
judge considers their extradition case
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said one of Britain’s leading cancer specialists was ready to fly to Spain to advise the Kings about Ashya’s treatment.
He added: ‘The NHS does fund proton beam therapy for children who need it. It’s not always appropriate, it’s not always safe.’
Mr Dallas said the family are 'really stressed'.
He
said: 'I've spoken to Naveed on Skype and he's said that they are all
super-stressed, they've barely slept at all and they're just really,
really hoping to see their little brother really soon.'
'PROTON THERAPY CURED OUR SON - NOW ASHYA SHOULD HAVE IT TOO': PARENTS OF CHILD WHO SURVIVED TUMOUR SPEAK OUT
The family of a boy with a similar brain tumour to Ashya King have told how a therapy not available on the NHS saved his life.
Alex Novakovic, eight, was told he could not have proton therapy – the treatment Ashya’s parents took him out of a Southampton hospital to pursue – because of health service rules.
But today his parents Jasmine, 43, and Radv, 54, have told how their plan to raise the £400,000 medical fees themselves and take Alex to America paid off.
Writing directly to Ashya’s family, the Naovakovics, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, said: ‘We fully support your actions because we too have suffered from the very same misuse of delegated powers in the NHS.
‘Two years ago, our Alex was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal medulloblastoma brain tumour.
‘His condition was more serious than Ashya and, like you, we naturally wanted the best for him. During his treatment at a leading hospital in Oxford we faced near-identical threats and intimidation.'
‘Ashya shouldn’t suffer any side effects during this treatment if he can get it. In fact, he’ll resume normal activities on a daily basis and have a great quality of life and be able to slip back into normal school and family life.
‘That’s exactly what happened to Alex after we took him to America. Alex was given the chance of proton therapy, and it worked. So should Ashya. To date Alex’s treatment in America hasn’t involved the NHS in any after care costs.
‘He’s got the gift of life which is priceless. It wonderful seeing him as a normal schoolboy out with his mates. He got the chance, now Ashya needs it too.’
Alex Novakovic, eight, was told he could not have proton therapy – the treatment Ashya’s parents took him out of a Southampton hospital to pursue – because of health service rules.
But today his parents Jasmine, 43, and Radv, 54, have told how their plan to raise the £400,000 medical fees themselves and take Alex to America paid off.
Writing directly to Ashya’s family, the Naovakovics, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, said: ‘We fully support your actions because we too have suffered from the very same misuse of delegated powers in the NHS.
Survivor: Alex Novakovic, pictured on the
shoulders of his father Radv, left, and alongside his mother Jasmine and
sister Elizabeth, had a deadly brain tumour but recovered thanks to
proton therapy
Picture of health: Alex's family say the proton therapy gave him 'the gift of life'
‘Two years ago, our Alex was diagnosed with stage 4 terminal medulloblastoma brain tumour.
‘His condition was more serious than Ashya and, like you, we naturally wanted the best for him. During his treatment at a leading hospital in Oxford we faced near-identical threats and intimidation.'
‘Ashya shouldn’t suffer any side effects during this treatment if he can get it. In fact, he’ll resume normal activities on a daily basis and have a great quality of life and be able to slip back into normal school and family life.
Experimental: Alex, pictured above receiving the treatment, needed £400,000 in medical fees to pay for proton therapy
‘That’s exactly what happened to Alex after we took him to America. Alex was given the chance of proton therapy, and it worked. So should Ashya. To date Alex’s treatment in America hasn’t involved the NHS in any after care costs.
‘He’s got the gift of life which is priceless. It wonderful seeing him as a normal schoolboy out with his mates. He got the chance, now Ashya needs it too.’
Brett and Nagmeh King (right) travelled to Spain
to sell a holiday home to obtain funds for proton beam therapy for
Ashya (left). The treatment is not available through the NHS
Care: Brett and Nagmeh King pictured with desperately ill Ashya at Southampton General Hospital
DAY BY DAY: HOW OFFICIALS DEEPENED THE AGONY FOR ASHYA'S FAMILY
Wednesday, July 23
Ashya is admitted to Southampton General Hospital, where he undergoes extensive surgery for a brain tumour.
Wednesday, August 20
The family claims they were told by doctors that Ashya’s life expectancy was around four months. They asked if he would be treated with cutting-edge proton beam therapy – a form of highly targeted radiotherapy – but doctors said no. Ashya’s father contacts The Proton Therapy Centre in Prague to ask if they will treat his son’s tumour privately. The treatment typically costs £65,000. Doctors at Southampton had apparently refused to refer him for the treatment, saying it would not help their son.
Thursday, August 28
Ashya is taken from Southampton General Hospital at 2pm by his parents Brett and Naghemeh. The family, including Ashya’s six siblings, travel to France via ferry at about 8pm.
Hampshire Police are alerted by the hospital at 8.35pm that Ashya is missing.
Friday, August 29
Hampshire Police issue an urgent appeal for information on the family’s whereabouts, insisting ‘time was running out’ for Ashya. Doctors have told them the battery life on the machine that administers his food is now likely to have expired. This later turns out to be misleading, as the parents had a charger.
Portsmouth City Council apply to the High Court for Ashya to be made a temporary ward of court on the grounds that he is in ‘serious danger’. It means he is under the care of a juvenile court and not his parents.
Saturday, August 30
Police confirm they have obtained a European arrest warrant at 4.30pm based around ‘neglect’ for Ashya’s parents.
Hampshire Police say at 10pm that Ashya has been found in Spain and taken to a Malaga hospital. It is announced at 11.15pm that Ashya’s parents have been arrested.
Sunday, August 31
Hampshire Police defends its decision to issue an arrest warrant, saying the medical advice was that he was in ‘grave danger’. But in Malaga, Ashya’s condition is described as stable and he is moved to low dependency unit.
Monday, September 1
Dr Michael Marsh, medical director of the trust running Southampton General Hospital casts doubt on whether Ashya has just months to live. He says ‘the chances of surviving the condition [which] Ashya has are about 70 to 80 per cent after five years’ with appropriate treatment.’
The hospital ‘very much regrets’ the way communication with the family broke down.
Yesterday
Following an outcry, the hospital trust announces it is ‘willing to support’ Ashya’s transfer to Prague for the proton treatment.
A spokesman says: ‘We were willing to support the transfer to Prague for proton beam radiotherapy, although we did not recommend it.’
The CPS says it is taking no further action and Hampshire police commissioner Simon Hayes says he wants assurances about ‘the quality of information’ given by the hospital to police.
The hospital stands by the information given to police and says ‘no hospital should be deterred from raising the alarm when they have doubts about the safety of a child’. It insists the decision to apply for wardship was made by Portsmouth City Council ‘with our support and on the advice of Hampshire Police’.
Ashya is admitted to Southampton General Hospital, where he undergoes extensive surgery for a brain tumour.
Wednesday, August 20
The family claims they were told by doctors that Ashya’s life expectancy was around four months. They asked if he would be treated with cutting-edge proton beam therapy – a form of highly targeted radiotherapy – but doctors said no. Ashya’s father contacts The Proton Therapy Centre in Prague to ask if they will treat his son’s tumour privately. The treatment typically costs £65,000. Doctors at Southampton had apparently refused to refer him for the treatment, saying it would not help their son.
Thursday, August 28
Ashya is taken from Southampton General Hospital at 2pm by his parents Brett and Naghemeh. The family, including Ashya’s six siblings, travel to France via ferry at about 8pm.
Hampshire Police are alerted by the hospital at 8.35pm that Ashya is missing.
Friday, August 29
Hampshire Police issue an urgent appeal for information on the family’s whereabouts, insisting ‘time was running out’ for Ashya. Doctors have told them the battery life on the machine that administers his food is now likely to have expired. This later turns out to be misleading, as the parents had a charger.
Portsmouth City Council apply to the High Court for Ashya to be made a temporary ward of court on the grounds that he is in ‘serious danger’. It means he is under the care of a juvenile court and not his parents.
Saturday, August 30
Police confirm they have obtained a European arrest warrant at 4.30pm based around ‘neglect’ for Ashya’s parents.
Hampshire Police say at 10pm that Ashya has been found in Spain and taken to a Malaga hospital. It is announced at 11.15pm that Ashya’s parents have been arrested.
Sunday, August 31
Hampshire Police defends its decision to issue an arrest warrant, saying the medical advice was that he was in ‘grave danger’. But in Malaga, Ashya’s condition is described as stable and he is moved to low dependency unit.
Monday, September 1
Dr Michael Marsh, medical director of the trust running Southampton General Hospital casts doubt on whether Ashya has just months to live. He says ‘the chances of surviving the condition [which] Ashya has are about 70 to 80 per cent after five years’ with appropriate treatment.’
The hospital ‘very much regrets’ the way communication with the family broke down.
Yesterday
Following an outcry, the hospital trust announces it is ‘willing to support’ Ashya’s transfer to Prague for the proton treatment.
A spokesman says: ‘We were willing to support the transfer to Prague for proton beam radiotherapy, although we did not recommend it.’
The CPS says it is taking no further action and Hampshire police commissioner Simon Hayes says he wants assurances about ‘the quality of information’ given by the hospital to police.
The hospital stands by the information given to police and says ‘no hospital should be deterred from raising the alarm when they have doubts about the safety of a child’. It insists the decision to apply for wardship was made by Portsmouth City Council ‘with our support and on the advice of Hampshire Police’.
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