A High Court judge has sanctioned the sterilisation of a UK man “in his best interests” in a landmark legal ruling.
The 36-year-old, from the Midlands, has learning difficulties and already has a son, born in 2010, with his girlfriend.
Justice Eleanor King ruled that a vasectomy could take place after hearing that another child could cause the man “psychological harm”.
Experts said he was capable of sexual consent but did not have the capacity to make decisions about contraception, the BBC reported.
The case came to court because of undisputed evidence that the man – referred to as DE – does not have the capacity to decide whether or not to consent to sterilisation, meaning a judge had to make the decision.
DE could not be relied upon to use condoms or other birth control methods effectively to prevent pregnancy, the court was told.
He lived with his parents and had a long-standing, loving relationship with his girlfriend PQ, who also has learning disabilities, but of a less severe nature. (ANI)