Ms Dance said she feels “sick” and plans to appeal the “outrageous” decision.

Dance said later: “Authorities denied our family’s wishes. We’re broken, but we won’t give up on Archie.”

The family’s lawyers first bid for Archie to be moved to a hospice in a late-night High Court hearing on Thursday. This was the culmination of several legal challenges to ensure the boy’s life-sustaining treatment continues.

The judge agreed with medical experts that the risks were “major and unpredictable.” Archie’s situation was described as “complicated and difficult.”

Archie’s parents knew the risks of the hospice transfer, including Archie dying in transit, but they were willing to take them rather than stay in the hospital.

A court-appointed guardian for Archie was concerned about moving him to a hospice, but she supported the idea if the risks were manageable and there was a short delay.

“Archie’s best interests must remain at the core of any conclusions reached by this court,” said Justice Theis as she concluded he should remain at the hospital while his treatment is withdrawn.

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“There’s absolutely no privacy, which is why, again, the courts keep going on about this dignified death – why aren’t we allowed to take our child to a hospice and spend his last moments, his last days together privately?

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“Why is the hospital obstructing it?”

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