Woman to abandon bid to ‘harvest’ sperm

The case, which was due to go to the Court of Protection in London, was being seen as potentially an important test case, involving a man kept alive medically after a devastating series of heart attacks who could die at any time.

But a legal spokesman announced that the “deeply upset” woman, known only as “AB”, does not wish to proceed because of “insinuations in the Press” that she is only after partner “P’s” money.

At a preliminary hearing on January 14, a High Court judge was told AB is P’s common law wife and they have been in a relationship over several years and had extensive discussions about raising a family. Last year P proposed marriage with a ring, and she had accepted.

It was her belief that P would have given his written consent had he known “he would be in his current state”.

AB’s challenge was against a decision of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority preventing her partner’s sperm being retrieved from him and stored for future use, possibly abroad.

AB’s lawyer Paul I Kay Onifade said: “The couple did have detailed discussions about having children and family planning arrangements were in contemplation. As a matter of fact, P had chosen the names he wanted for the children.

“Her energies will now be devoted to caring for P.”