SAO -v- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)
Claim Number: QB-2020-002422
In The High Court Of Justice
King’s Bench Division
28 March 2023
Before:
Jason Beer KC, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge
Between:
SAO (A Protected Party by Her Mother and Litigation Friend, GAO)
-v-
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Anonymity Order
Before Jason Beer KC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, sitting at Court 14 of the Royal Courts of Justice
UPON READING the application made on 27 March 2023 by solicitors for the Claimant and
Counsel’s advice dated 22 March 2023
AND UPON HEARING Counsel for the parties
BY CONSENT the following terms of settlement are approved and made an Order of the Court:
WHEREAS, pursuant to CPR r. 39.2(4), the Court is satisfied that an order in the terms below is necessary to protect the interests of the Claimant and there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED PURSUANT to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR Rule 5.4A to 5.4D and CPR Rule 39.2:
(1) That the identity of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend be not disclosed in any report of these proceedings. The Claimant and the Litigation Friend shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 2 of this Order.
(2) 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 “SAO”
(b) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “GAO”
(c) Any other details liable to lead to the identification of the Claimant (including any names of other family members or addresses) shall be redacted before publication.
(3) Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D:
(i) 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, judgment or order has been anonymised in accordance with subparagraphs 2(a) to (c) 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 or Deputy.
(4) The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 27 March 2023 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain an copy document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order.”
(5) That reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent publication of the identity of the Claimant or Litigation Friend. The publication of the name and address of the Claimant or of any member of the Claimant’s immediate family or the name and address of the Litigation Friend is prohibited.
(6) The provisions of this Order shall not apply:-
a. to communications between the Court Funds Office and the anonymised party, her Deputy or Litigation Friend in relation to the payment of money into the Court Funds Office for the benefit of the anonymised party or the investment or treatment of payment out of such money;
b. to communications between the Court Funds Office and/or the anonymised party, her Deputy or Litigation Friend and any financial institution concerned as to the receipt or investment of such money; or
c. to records kept by the Court Funds Office or the anonymised party, her Deputy or Litigation Friend or any such financial institution in relation to such money.
(7) That any non-party affected by this Order may apply on notice to all parties to have this Order set aside or varied.
(8) A copy of this order shall be published on the Judicial Website of the High Court of Justice specifying that the Claimant shall be referred to as CAO and her litigation friend as GAO.
(9) Costs in case