AJS -v- EHE (anonymity / withholding and reporting restrictions order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity OrderOrder

Claim Number: KB-2024-MAN-000241

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry

1 October 2025

Before:

Her Honour Judge Evans

Between:

AJS (A protected party by his litigation friend, MON)

-v-

EHE

Withholding and reporting restrictions order

BEFORE Her Honour Judge Evans sitting as a Judge of the High Court at Manchester on 1 October 2025

UPON HEARING Ian Little of counsel for the Claimant and James Hogg of counsel  for the Defendant

AND UPON the parties having reached proposed terms of settlement in respect of liability for which the Claimant intends to seek the approval of the Court

WHEREAS the Claimant is considered by his medical experts to be a protected party who brings the Claim by MON his Litigation Friend.

AND UPON

  1. It appearing to the Court that the Orders made below are necessary to protect the integrity of these proceedings in the interests of justice and
  2. There being no representations from the press or any other interested party.

WHEREAS for the purposes of this order:

  1. ‘Publication’ includes any 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 a) of this recital) 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

Withholding orders

  1. The name and address of the Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend and other immediate family members, and any details (including other names, addresses, or a specific combination of facts) that could lead to the identification of the Claimant in these proceedings, are to be withheld.
  2. In the title to these proceedings henceforth:
    a) The Claimant shall be referred to as “AJS”.
    b) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “MON”.
    c) The Defendant shall be referred to as “EHE”
    d) Any other details liable to lead to the identification of the Claimant (including any names of other immediate family members or their addresses) shall be withheld.
  3. Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D:
    a) A person who is not a party to the proceedings may not obtain a copy of a statement of case, judgment or order from the Court records unless the statement of case, judgment or order has been anonymised in accordance with §2. above.
    b) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR r.5.4C(1B) or (2)) for permission to inspect or obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be on at least 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitor, trustee or deputy.
  4. In the event of anonymised or redacted documents being needed to facilitate access to documents from the court records in accordance with §3 of this Order, the parties shall cooperate with the Court in the supply of suitably edited documents.

Reporting restrictions order

5. There shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings or other publication from the date of this Order the name or address of the Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend or other immediate family members, or any details (including other names, addresses, or a specific combination of facts) that could lead to the identification of the Claimant in these proceedings. The Claimant and the Litigation Friend shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 2 of this Order.

Ancillary orders

6. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “Withholding and Reporting Restrictions Orders were made in this case on 1st October 2025 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.”

7. Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge this Order, provided that any such application is made on 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitor, trustee or deputy.

8. Pursuant to the ‘Practice Guidance: Publication of Privacy and Anonymity Orders’ issued by the Master of the Rolls dated 16 April 2019 a copy of this Order shall be published on the Judicial Website of the High Court of Justice (www.judiciary.uk). For that purpose, a court officer will send a copy of the order by email to the Judicial Office at judicialwebupdates@judiciary.uk.

9. The provisions of this Order shall not prohibit disclosure of the Claimant’s name, address or any other information tending to identify him in communications between the Defendant or their successors in title and their legal and professional advisers, the Compensation Recovery Unit or any other person required by law. Nor shall its provisions prohibit disclosure by them of any information relating to the Defendant.

10. The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.