The hospital had hoped Professor Hirano would be able to give Charlie's family renewed optimism, but said it had listened to his evidence to the court with "increasing surprise and disappointment".

"On 13 July he stated that not only had he not visited the hospital to examine Charlie but in addition, he had not read Charlie's contemporaneous medical records or viewed Charlie's brain imaging or read all of the second opinions about Charlie's condition (obtained from experts all of whom had taken the opportunity to examine him and consider his records) or even read the Judge's decision made on 11 April," the statement said.

"Further, GOSH was concerned to hear the professor state, for the first time, whilst in the witness box, that he retains a financial interest in some of the NBT compounds he proposed prescribing for Charlie.

"Devastatingly, the information obtained since 13 July gives no cause for optimism.

"Rather, it confirms that whilst NBT may well assist others in the future, it cannot and could not have assisted Charlie."