Court to rule on blood treatment

Hospital administrators brought case to the High Court

A judge is to rule on whether a teenager who is a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses should receive a potentially life-saving blood transfusion.

The 15-year-old suffers from kidney failure and could die if she does not undergo a transplant operation.

It is understood the girl and her father have agreed to go-ahead with the transplant providing there is no transfusion.

But the hospital carrying out the transplant has asked the judge to allow them to give the girl blood if it was necessary to save her life.

Mr Justice Higgins reserved his judgement during a private hearing in the High Court in Belfast on Monday.

He is expected to give his decision later this week.

The girl's mother, who is not a Jehovah's Witness, is separated from her father and lives in England. She is understood to have agreed to the operation going ahead regardless.

At present the girl receives dialysis treatment six nights a week for nine hours at a time.