DFG -v- Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim No KB-2025-001465

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
KING’S BENCH DIVISION
(Clinical Negligence)

2 March 2026

Before:

David Quest KC

Between:

DFG (by her mother and litigation friend GHJ)

-v-

BOLTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Order

BEFORE DAVID QUEST KC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice on 2nd March 2026

UPON HEARING Mr Richard Booth KC and Ms Vanessa Cashman for the Claimant and Mr John de Bono KC for the Defendant

AND UPON HEARING the Claimant’s oral application

WHEREAS the Claimant has brought a claim for damages for personal injury against the Defendant

AND UPON the parties having reached proposed terms of settlement in respect of which the Claimant intends to seek the approval of the Court pursuant to CPR Part 21

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 to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to the Claimant

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 identity is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the Claimant’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, her Litigation Friend and her father 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 DFG;
    ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as GHJ;
    iii) The Claimant’s father shall be referred to as the Claimant’s father.
  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 or the Claimant’s father;
    c) Any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, her Litigation Friend or her father;
    d) Any image or likeness of the Claimant, her Litigation Friend or her father.
  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 23 March 2026.
  7. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 2 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.
  11. The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.