A hunger strike prisoner was rushed to hospital last night when his condition deteriorated after 52 days without food.
Oswald Brown (38), a father of two from east Belfast, was taken by ambulance from Magilligan Prison, Co Derry, to the City Hospital in Belfast.
Brown has threatened to starve himself to death but has been taking water throughout his hunger strike.
Earlier in the High Court Mr Justice Deeny said it was lawful and proper that Brown should be given intravenous nutrition through a cannula inserted in his arm. He directed that, if necessary, reasonable force could be used.
His case first came before the court last Friday when the Northern Secretary applied for a declaration that prison officials could lawfully abstain from giving him food. The court was told his hunger strike was in protest against his conviction for a rape for which he claims he was wrongly convicted.