A woman who has been totally paralysed for over a year told a judge at a bedside court hearing in England today that she wants to be allowed to die.
The dramatic scenes inside the hospital in the London area were relayed back to the High Court via a video link.
Three screens inside a courtroom showed the woman, who is kept alive by a ventilator, lying in her bed surrounded by a team of 11 lawyers and medical staff.
At 10 a.m. Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, President of the Family Division, entered the ward and the legal proceedings began.
A court official held a copy of the Bible to her right hand for the woman, who is 43, to take the oath.
Then the woman, who is a former social care professional, explained to the judge why she wants her doctors to end her life-prolonging treatment.
Mr Philip Havers QC, representing her, asked whether she wanted to leave the hospital where she was being treated and be taken to somewhere where her wishes would be carried out.
She replied: "Yes."
He then asked if the consequences had been explained to her by her doctors and if she still held that view.
Again she replied: "Yes."
The woman said she had been "very ill for long periods" and when asked if she was prepared to compromise with the hospital, which is refusing to carry out her wishes, said: "I want to be able to die."
Mr Robert Francis QC, representing the hospital, asked her: "Is it your wish to die or is it your wish not to remain alive in your present condition?"
She replied: "The latter."
PS