BZV -v- The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (anonymity order)

CivilHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: QB-2022-BHM-000039

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

Clinical Negligence

7 February 2025

Before:

The Hon. Mr Justice Richie

Between:

BZV
(by her Father and Litigation Friend, BZS)

-v-

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Anonymity order

BEFORE the Hon Mr Justice Richie sitting in the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London on the 7th February 2025 and with the parties appearing remotely before him

UPON HEARING Simeon Maskrey KC, counsel for the Claimant and Sarah Vaughn-Jones KC, counsel for the Defendant.

AND UPON the Court having been informed that the Press Association has been notified of this hearing, and there being no attendance by the Press Association or a member of the Press.

AND UPON the Court having been informed by that Claimant’s parents that they have not sought or obtained publicity in respect of the case, and having been informed by the Claimant’s solicitor that a web browser search has not revealed that there has been any publicity or information concerning the case placed in the public domain.

AND UPON:

  1. Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimant to respect for private and family life and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression
  2. It appearing to be necessary to derogate from the principle of open justice in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and secure the proper administration of justice by way of the non-disclosure of their identity, there also being no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure
  3. The Defendant indicating its 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, section 39 of the Children and Young Person’s Act 1933, section 6 of the Human Right Act, 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules and rules 5.4C and 5.4D 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 paragraph 1 above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings.

NOW IT IS ORDERED THAT:-

  1. The identity of the Claimant as a party to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be disclosed or published.
  2. Pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2(4), section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings or other publication 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 3 of this Order.
  3. In any judgment or report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:
    (i) The Claimant shall be referred to as “BZV”.
    (ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “BZS”.
    (iii) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant (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 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 subparagraphs 3(i) to (iii) above.
    (ii) 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.
  5. The Claimant’s 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 the 28th February 2025 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 the 7th February 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.

NOTE

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

Signed Ritchie J

Dated this 7th February 2025