CXA -v- North Bristol NHS Trust (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim No. KB-2023-004222

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
KING’S BENCH DIVISION

25 March 2026

Before:

Master Sullivan

Between:

CXA (A Child, by her Mother and Litigation Friend, MXB)

-v-

North Bristol NHS Trust

Order

BEFORE Master Sullivan sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, London on 25 March 2026

UPON the Claimant’s application notice dated 18 August 2025

AND UPON the Defendant remaining neutral on the Claimant’s application for anonymity

AND UPON CONSIDERING the Article 8 rights of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to the Claimant and the the Litigation Friend

AND UPON CONSIDERING the importance of open justice and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression

AND UPON THE COURT CONCLUDING that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend

AND UPON THE COURT FURTHER CONCLUDING that it is necessary to make a reporting restriction order pursuant to s 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981

IT IS ORDERED that

  1. The names of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend are to be withheld in the statements of case, and in any judgments and orders in this claim, and for those purposes:
    (i) The Claimant shall be referred to as CXA;
    (ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as MXB.
  2. The Claimant’s address on the claim form shall be substituted by the Claimant’s solicitor’s address.
  3. No report, whether oral or in writing, or other communication in whatever form (including internet or social media) addressed to the public at large or any section of the public, of or concerning this claim which is published from the date of this order may include:
    (a) The name or address or school of the Claimant;
    (b) The name or address of the Litigation Friend;
    (c) Any particulars which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant as the Claimant in these proceedings (including any names of other immediate family members and their addresses);
    (d) Any image or likeness of the Claimant or the Litigation Friend.
  4. Any reports or other communications to the public which exist prior to the date of this order are not affected by this order.
  5. 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 paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this order.
    (ii) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR r.5.4C(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 unless the court orders otherwise.
  6. The Claimant’s solicitor shall file with the Court copies of any existing statements of case anonymised in accordance with paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this order by 21 days from the date of this order.
  7. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 25 March 2026 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.”
  8. Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or set aside this Order, provided that any such application is made on 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitor.
  9. This order shall lapse automatically on the death of the Claimant and its provisions shall have no effect from that time.
  10. Pursuant CPR 39.2(5) a copy of this Order shall be published on the website of the Judiciary of England and Wales (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