Psychotherapist accuses couple who harvested the SPERM of dead son to get a grandchild of ‘stealing’
Wealthy British couple who harvested their dead son’s sperm in order to have a ‘designer grandson’ are accused of ‘stealing’ and ‘buying their way out of grief’ in a VERY heated GMB debate
- British couple harvested their dead son’s sperm so they could have a grandchild
- Annabel Giles accused them of ‘stealing’ from their son without his consent
- Barrie Drewitt-Barlow said they shouldn’t be ‘judged’ for using technology
- Good Morning Britain viewers said it was ‘wrong’ for them to take the sperm
A psychotherapist has hit out at a British couple who harvested the sperm of their dead son and went on to have a grandchild using donor eggs and surrogate, accusing them of ‘stealing’ from him.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Annabel Giles accused the couple – who made headlines this week but whose identity has not been disclosed – of trying to ‘buy their way out of the grieving process’, and said it was unethical to take his sperm following his death without his prior consent.
It emerged this week that, bypassing strict UK laws, the couple had had their son’s sperm frozen and exported to the US after he was killed in a motorcycle accident. There the couple, who are in their 50s, chose to use gender selection techniques to create a new male heir.
The story has caused huge controversy but Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, one of Britain’s first gay dads who spent £65,000 to ensure he had a daughter using gender selection techniques, said it was wrong to ‘judge’ the couple, and argued they were just using the technology available to them.
But viewers watching at home appeared to side with Giles, branding the controversial move ‘wrong’ and ‘selfish’ on Twitter.
A psychotherapist Annabel Giles has slammed the child who harvested their dead son’s sperm to get a grandchild, accusing them of ‘stealing’. Pictured: Ms Giles on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday
The British couple, who have remained anonymous, made the decision to conceive their grandchild, who is three and believed to be living in the UK, without getting formal consent to the extraction and use of their son’s sperm in the event of his death.
But Mr Drewitt-Barlow, who with his husband Tony became Britain’s first gay fathers, asked ‘who is anyone to judge’ the couple.
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He said: ‘This woman was going through grief at losing her child and she wanted to make her son live on and this was her way of doing it. Who are we to judge? The technology’s there why not use it?’
Ms Giles was clearly shocked by the couple’s actions, and criticised them for not having their son’s consent.
The couple’s actions were criticised by Good Morning Britain viewers (pictured), who called them ‘wrong’ for taking their son’s sperm without his consent
She said: ‘What parent hears their son has died and their first thought is ”I know, we’ll harvest his sperm and we’ll get ourselves of grandson.”
‘It sounds like they’re trying to buy their way out of the grieving process and you can’t do that, you can’t buy your way out.’
Barrie interrupted, insisting that the couple were just using technology they could afford.
He said: ‘You’re not buying yourself out of anything, these people were grieving and actually who would have even thought about it? If my son died I wouldn’t have even had the time to think to take his sperm and have a grandchild.
‘Why shouldn’t they? Who are you to judge? You’re a counsellor and a psychotherapist, the first thing you should be thinking about is helping those grieving parents get through the lose of their son – not moaning about their decision.’
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, who spent £65,000 to ensure he had a daughter using gender selection techniques, said it was wrong to ‘judge’ the couple. Pictured: Barrie on GMB
Ms Giles (left) accused the couple of trying to ‘buy their way out of the grieving process’, while Mr Drewitt-Barlow (right) said they were just using the technology available to them
Ms Giles told him they should go through the grieving process before taking such drastic action, but he responded that they would have left it ‘too late’ if they did so.
‘I’m not judging, I’m giving my opinion,’ she said.
Barrie fired back: ‘I think your opinion’s wrong.’
GMB viewers took to Twitter to side with Annabel, saying the couple’s decision was ‘wrong’.
One tweeted: ‘This bloke actually saying on live TV that it’s ok to take your dead son’s sperm and make a child from it is absolutely mind-blowing.’
‘Wrong, so wrong on many levels,’ another said.
She said that the couple should have focused on grieving rather than rushing to have a grandchild. Pictured: Ms Giles on Good Morning Britain presenters with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid
A third wrote: ‘This ‘’designer grandchild’’ story is sickening. It’s very sad that they lost their son however he can’t be recreated and that’s what they want. So, so, wrong.’
Even the doctor involved – world-leading fertility specialist, Dr David Smotrich – has admitted the case was highly unusual.
Dr Smotrich says he helped the couple at his pioneering La Jolla IVF clinic in California.
Astonishingly, he said he understood the couple’s son – who was unmarried – had not given formal consent to the extraction and use of his sperm in the event of his death.
Legal experts have confirmed that this means those involved in the UK may have committed a criminal act and could face prosecution.
The remarkable case began when the couple, described by Dr Smotrich as extremely rich ‘and from a notable family’, lost their 26-year-old son in the crash four years ago.
The man’s body lay undiscovered for two days but, once recovered, his sperm – which can survive for up to 72 hours following death – was retrieved by a urologist and immediately frozen.
After nearly a year, it was flown to Dr Smotrich’s clinic, using a UK-based specialist medical courier.
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