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Pippa Knight case: Mum needs £100,000 to fund appeal following High Court decision

The mother of a brain-damaged five year-old who was told her daughter should be allowed to die needs £100,000 to appeal the decision.

Mr Justice Poole ruled last Friday that specialists treating Pippa Knight, from Strood, could lawfully stop providing life-support treatment.

Pippa Knight. Picture PA
Pippa Knight. Picture PA

Pippa's mother, Paula Parfitt, who said she is devastated by the decision, had hoped to be granted legal aid to pay for lawyers to challenge the judge's ruling in the Court of Appeal.

Lawyers said she had been granted legal aid to pay for the High Court fight but her bid for legal aid to fund an appeal had failed.

The 41-year-old has now launched an appeal on GoFundMe.

Mr Justice Poole said specialists should keep treating Pippa for a short period to give Ms Parfitt time to organise an appeal.

Ms Parfitt said: "I now have to raise £100,000 in order to subsidise an appeal very super quickly"

Paula Parfitt with daughter Pippa Knight. Picture: Sinclairslaw / PA
Paula Parfitt with daughter Pippa Knight. Picture: Sinclairslaw / PA

"I know that, as a Christian, I am a great believer in God's law, and that is to preserve life.

"I am reaching out to the public for their financial support."

Mr Justice Poole had heard evidence at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London in December.

He described the case as "heart-rending."

Pippa was born in April 2015 and initially developed normally, but in December 2016 she became unwell and began to suffer seizures, the judge heard.

Paula Parfitt, the mother of five-year-old Pippa Knight, outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor/PA
Paula Parfitt, the mother of five-year-old Pippa Knight, outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor/PA

The judge was told that the youngster is now in a vegetative state and has no awareness.

He visited the youngster at the Evelina Children's Hospital in London in December.

Specialists treating Pippa said life-support treatment should end.

Hospital bosses had asked Mr Justice Poole to rule that ending treatment, and allowing Pippa to die, would be lawful and in her best interests.

Ms Parfitt, who told the court that Pippa's father is dead, disagreed.

She wants her daughter to be placed on a portable ventilator and allowed home, and wanted the judge to authorise a home-care trial.

But Mr Justice Poole ruled against her.

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