NHS Trust in court battle to sterilise disabled man Last year a hospital applied for permission to sterilise a man who was in a sexual relationship with a woman who also had learning difficulties without his parents or mental health supervisors knowing about it. Campaigners have claimed that sterilising without consent is wrong and could have a devastating impact on the human rights of the disabled. Local authorities can apply to have a person with learning difficulties sterilised without the consent of their families. However, there have been instances in which parents have personally applied for the right for the procedure to be carried out. It is rare for judges to grant permission. In 2000 Mr Justice Wall gave the go ahead for a hysterectomy to be performed on a woman with learning difficulties, but his ruling was overturned by the family division of the High Court.