AZS and others -v- Warwickshire County Council and others (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim Number: QB-2020-002274

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

26 January 2024

Between:
1. AZS
2. SZS
3. TZS
4. DZS
5. KZS
6. RZS
7. JZS
(Children by The Official Solicitor their Litigation Friend)

-v-

1. Warwickshire County Council,
2. Blackpool Council,
3. Walsall Council

Order

BEFORE Master Sullivan

AND UPON consideration of the Claimants’ Article 8 rights to respect for private and family life and the Article 10 rights to freedom of expression

AND UPON it appearing that non-disclosure of the identities of the Claimants is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interest of the Claimants and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure

AND PURSUANT TO section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and rule 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules and section II of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules.

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 (1) above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings.

[BY CONSENT]

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

  1. The identities of the Claimants as parties to these proceedings are confidential and shall not be published.
  2. Pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings or other publication the names or addresses of the Claimant, 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 Claimants in these proceedings. The Claimants shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 3 of this Order.
  3. In any judgment or report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:
    (i) The Claimants shall be referred to as “AZS”, “SZS”, “TZS”, “DZS”, “KZS”, “RZS” and “JZS”
    (ii) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimants (including any names of other immediate family members or their addresses) shall be redacted before publication.
  4. Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D:
    (i) A person who is not parties 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 subparagraphs 3(i) and (ii) above.
    (ii) If a person who is not parties 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 Claimants’ solicitor, the Official Solicitor as the Claimants’ litigation friend in these proceedings, and the Claimants’ trustee or deputy.
  5. The Claimants’ solicitor shall file with the Court an electronic (PDF) bundle of the statements of case that has been anonymised in accordance with paragraph 3 above by 16th February 2024, and re-filed in the event that any statement of case is amended, within 21 days of such amendment being approved.
  6. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 26th January 2024 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 parties 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 Claimants’ solicitor, the Official Solicitor as the Claimants’ litigation friend in these proceedings and the Claimants’ 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 costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.