Durham County Council -v- PN and another (anonymity order)

High CourtQueen's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim Number: KB-2023-NCL-000057

In The High Court Of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Newcastle District Registry

6 November 2023

Before:
Mr Justice Poole

Between:
Durham County Council
-v-
PN
(Represented by the Official Solicitor)
and
County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group

ANONYMITY ORDER

BEFORE Mr Justice Poole

On consideration of papers only, without a hearing, on 6 November 2023

UPON consideration of the application notice applying for anonymity for the First Defendant and noting that the application and draft order supplied is not opposed by the First or Second Defendants, who have been given notice of it.

AND UPON consideration of the First Defendant’s Article 8 right to respect for private and family life and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.

AND PURSUANT to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998, rule 39.2(4) of the Civil Procedure Rules and section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and Rules 5.4C and 5.4D of the Civil Procedure Rules.

AND UPON IT APPEARING that non-disclosure of the identity of the First Defendant is necessary in order to protect the interests of the First Defendant.

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 subparagraph (1) above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings.

IT IS ORDERED [BY CONSENT] THAT:

  1. The identity of the First Defendant as a party to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be published.
  2. Pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings or other publication the name or address of the First Defendant, or any of his immediate family members, or any details (including other names, addresses, or a specific combination of facts) that could lead to the identification of the First Defendant in these proceedings. The First Defendant 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:
    The First Defendant shall be referred to as “PN”. Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the First Defendant (including any names of any 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 subparagraph 3 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 14 November 2023, and re-file 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 [date] 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.
  8. 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.
  9. The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.