DAO -v- RCC (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: KB-2025-MAN-000374

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry

28 November 2025

Before:

Her Honour Judge Evans,
sitting as a Judge of the High Court

Between:

DAO
(A protected party by his litigation friend, VBO)

-v-

RCC

Anonymity order

WARNING: you must comply with the terms imposed upon you by this Order: otherwise, your case is liable to be struck out or some other sanction imposed. If you cannot comply you are expected to make a formal application to the Court before any deadline imposed upon you expires.

BEFORE HER HONOUR JUDGE EVANS sitting as a Judge of the High Court sitting at Manchester District Registry on 28th November 2025.

UPON HEARING Counsel for the Claimant and Counsel for the Defendant

AND UPON the application notice dated 30th October 2025.

UPON CONSIDERING the protective nature of the approval jurisdiction pursuant to r.21.10 of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998

AND UPON CONSIDERING the Article 8 rights of the Claimant and his litigation friend to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to the Claimant/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 Claimant’s/litigation friend’s identity is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the Claimant’s/litigation friend’s interests

AND UPON THE COURT FURTHER CONCLUDING that it is necessary to make a reporting restriction order

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 DAO;
    (ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as VBO;
    (iii) The Defendant shall be referred to as RCC
  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 place of temporary residenceof the Claimant;
    (b) Any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend;
    (c) Any image or likeness of the Claimant or 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 subparagraphs 1 [and 2] above.
    (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, trustee or deputy 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 paragraph 1 and 2 above by 4.00pm on 19 December 2025.
  7. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 28th November 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.”
  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, trustee or deputy.
  9. This order shall lapse automatically on the death of the Claimant/litigation friend 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.

Dated this 28th day of November 2025