Wife of policeman in coma awaits ruling after asking for treatment to stop

The wife of a soldier-turned-policeman left in a coma after a road accident is waiting for a decision after asking a judge to rule that treatment should stop.

Gulf War veteran Paul Briggs, who is in his early 40s, suffered a severe brain injury in a motorcycle crash while serving with Merseyside Police in July last year.

His wife, Lindsey, says he should be allowed to die and wants life-sustaining treatment to end. Doctors are not sure.

Mr Justice Charles is due to announce his decision on Tuesday after analysing evidence at a hearing in the Court of Protection - where judges consider issues relating to people who lack the mental capacity to take decisions - in Manchester a few weeks ago.

He is scheduled to deliver a ruling at a hearing in London.

Normally, patients at the centre of Court of Protection litigation are not identified because judges aim to protect their privacy.

But Mr Briggs' accident was widely reported and no-one involved in the litigation has asked for him to be anonymised so Mr Justice Charles allowed him to be named.