ABC -v- Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: KB-2025-004678

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

29 June 2026

Before:

Master Brown

Between:

ABC
(A protected party, by his Special Guardian and Litigation Friend, CDE)
(Claimant)

-v-

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
(Defendant)

Order

UPON the Claimant’s Application, dated 29th January 2026;

AND UPON:

  1. Consideration of the Claimant’s Article 8 rights to respect for private and family life, and Article 10 right to freedom of expression;
  2. It appearing to the Court that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend is necessary to protect the interests of the Claimant;
  3. The Defendant indicating their neutrality to the making of the order and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party;

AND PURSUANT to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981; and CPR rules 5.4C, 5,4D and 39.2(4);

WHEREAS for the purposes of this order:

(1) ‘Publication’ includes and speech, writing, broadcast or other communication in whatever form (including internet and social media) which is addressed to the public at large or any section of the public;
(2) Publication for the purpose of this Order includes any further publication (as defined in subparagraph (1) above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings;

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

  1. The identity of the Claimant and the Claimant’s Litigation friend in these proceedings is protected and shall not be published;
  2. Pursuant to Rule 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings the name or address of the Claimant or the Claimant’s Litigation Friend, or any details that could lead to the identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend. The Claimant and Litigation Friend shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 3 of the Order;
  3. In any Judgment or report of these proceedings or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:

a) The Claimant shall be referred to as “ABC”
b) The Claimant’s Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “CDE”
c) Any other details liable to lead to the identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend (including any names of other family members or addresses) shall be redacted before publication;

  1. Pursuant to Rule 5.4C and 5.4D:

a) A person who is not a party to the proceedings may obtain a copy of a statement of case, judgment or order from the Court records only if the statement of case, judgement or order has been anonymised in accordance with subparagraph 3(a) to (c) above. No person may have access to any reports served within the proceedings or schedules;
b) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR r5.4C(1b), and/or (2) for permission to inspect or obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be on at least 14 days’ notice to the Claimant’s Solicitor;

  1. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An Anonymity Order was made in this case on 29.06.2026 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order.”
  2. Any interested party, whether a party to the proceedings or not, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge this Order, providing any such application is made on notice to the Claimant’s Solicitor or Deputy and that 14 days prior notice of the intention to make such an application is given;
  3. A copy of this Order shall be published on the Judicial website;
  4. This Order is mandatory. Breach of any part of this order may give rise to contempt proceedings. Even if an application has been made to vary or discharge any part of the Order the order must be complied with unless and until varied or discharged;
  5. Costs in the proceedings.