Charlie Gard dies days before his first birthday

Charlie Gard, the terminally ill infant at the centre of a high-profile court battle, has died after his life-support was withdrawn soon after he was moved to a hospice.

On Thursday, a judge ruled that Charlie was to spend his final hours in a hospice before the ventilator which was keeping him alive was turned off.

The judge had given the parents until noon to reach an agreement with Great Ormond Street Hospital about spending more time in a hospice, but no compromise was reached so a judge ruled that Charlie's artificial ventilation should be turned off.

"It is not in Charlie's best interests for artificial ventilation to continue to be provided to him, and it is therefore lawful and in his best interests for it to be withdrawn," High Court judge Nicholas Francis said in an order.

The baby was born on 4 August 2016 with a rare genetic mutation that affects the cells responsible for energy production and respiration, leaving him unable to move or breathe unaided.

His parents had decided that they wanted to try experimental treatment for their son in the US however doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where the boy was being treated, had initially disagreed with the move.

The courts ruled in favour of the hospital insisting that the therapy was experimental and would not help Charlie. The parents failed to overturn the ruling and also failed to convince the European Court of Human Rights to intervene.