Court rules Neon Roberts should have radiotherapy

A judge has ruled today that seven-year-old Neon Roberts can be given radiotherapy treatment against his mother's wishes. Neon has already undergone two operations to remove a cancerous brain tumour and nodule, but his mother Sally did not want him to have radiotherapy.

Doctors have told the High Court that Neon could die without further treatment, saying there was only a 35% survival rate with chemotherapy only.

Mr Justice Bodey said: "The mother has been through a terrible time. This sort of thing is every parent's nightmare. But I am worried that her judgement has gone awry on the question of the seriousness of the threat which Neon faces. Mrs Roberts told the court that she believed conventional cancer treatment was "out of date". She said she feared radiotherapy would reduce Neon's IQ, shorten his life, put him at risk of having strokes and make him infertile.

But the counsel appointed for Neon argued "standard treatment" is the only option that could save his life. The court was also told that Neon's father Ben, who has agreed to Neon receiving radiotherapy, needed the security of a residence order to allow the boy to live with his father during the treatment.

Earlier this month New Zealand-born Mrs Roberts went into hiding with her son. Mr Justice Bodey said it would be remiss of the court not to prevent that recurring.