AXB -v- Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (anonymity order)
Claim number: KB-2025-000230
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
8 April 2025
Before:
Master Thornett
Between:
AXB
(a child, by her mother and Litigation Friend, CXD)
-v-
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Anonymity order
UPON READING the Claimant’s application dated 24 January 2025
AND UPON consideration of S12 of the Human Rights Act 1998
AND UPON the Court being satisfied that an order for non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant is necessary in order to protect the interest of the Claimant and there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure
IT IS ORDERED pursuant to the Claimant’s Article 8 right to respect for private and family life and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression and/or pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2 (4) and the Contempt of Court at 1981, section 11, section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR 5.4 A to 5.4D as follows:
(1) That there shall be substituted for all purposes in this action, and in any report of the proceedings by the press or otherwise, in place of reference to the Claimant by name, and whether orally or in writing, references to “AXB “ and in place of reference to the litigation friend by name, whether orally or in writing references to “CXD”.
(2) That there shall be substituted for all purposes in this action, in place of reference to the Claimant or Litigation Friend’s address, and whether orally in writing, references to “ c/o Thomson, Snell & Passmore”.
(3) Insofar as is necessary, any document already filed in the proceedings, disclosing the name or address of the Claimant or the Litigation Friend is to be replaced by a document describing such name/address in anonymised form as above.
(4) The original of any such document disclosing the name or address of the Claimant or the Litigation Friend is to be placed in the court file and/or HMCTS e-filing service system and noted they should not be opened without the permission of a Judge or Master of the King’s Bench Division”.
(5) Reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent identification of the Claimant or the Litigation Friend. There shall be no publication or other disclosure of any name, address or information tending to identify the Claimant or the Litigation Friend.
(6) A person who is not a party to the proceedings may not inspect or obtain a copy of any document from the court file (other than this Order duly anonymised as directed) without the permission of a Judge or Master of the King’s Bench Division. Any application for such permission must be made on notice to the Claimant. The court file shall be clearly marked with the words “an anonymity order was made on this case on the 8th April 2025 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy of a document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that order”.
(7) This order having been made without a hearing, any interested party may apply to have it set aside or varied provided such application is made within seven days of being served with this Order.
(8) The costs of and associated with the application to be costs in the case.
DATED this 8th day of April 2025