The British nation looks on aghast as this little boy remains alone without his family under police guard in a Spanish hospital, while his parents are taken from custody to Court to face extradition proceedings for child neglect, which is manifestly absurd. Southampton General Hospital and the Hampshire police have started out with good intentions and ended up creating a nightmare for this family almost beyond imagining, on top of the fact that their little boy is very ill with life threatening cancer.
The fact that he was moved to a low dependency ward by the Spanish, is evidence that Ashya had been well and lovingly cared for by his parents, and was not suffering neglect or dangerous care as alleged. It is beyond the comprehension of this blog and most decent thinking people, how a civilised nation can allow such cruel procedures to be an instrument of solving real and valid medical anxieties. The King family, whatever the outcome, will be traumatised by this experience. Meanwhile we can only hope for a good outcome quickly, as reason and compassion start to prevail.
In order that others are not put through this in future, we really must separate medical and family issues of child protection, from those designed to cope with violence, abuse and real harm. This is far too delicate and potentially damaging an element in family life to be subject to a one size fits all regime.
