JXW -v- PXP and another (anonymity order)
Claim number: QB-2021-MAN-000146
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry
17 October 2024
Before:
His Honour Judge Bird sitting as a judge of the High Court
Between:
JXW (A Protected Party by his wife and Litigation Friend SXW)
-v-
PXP
Direct Line Insurance Group Plc
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 His Honour Judge Bird sitting as a judge of the High Court, King’s Bench Division, Manchester District Registry, at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester, M60 9DJ on 17 October 2024
ANONYMITY ORDER
AND UPON HEARING Charlie Woodhouse KC for the Claimant and Christopher Kennedy KC for the Defendant
WHEREAS the Claimant has made a claim against the First and Second Defendants for personal injury, loss and damage suffered by him arising out of a road traffic accident which took place on 27 November 2019, and in respect of which proceedings were commenced by the Claimant in the High Court of Justice King’s Bench Division on 27 September 2021 (“the Claim”)
AND WHEREAS the Claimant is a protected party and he brings this claim by his wife and Litigation Friend, SXW
AND UPON
- Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimant and Litigation Friend to respect for private and family life, and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.
- It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend and the First Defendant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
- The Second Defendant indicating its neutrality to the making of the Order and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party.
AND PURSUANT to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998; section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981; and CPR rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4)
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 (i) above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings.
3. For the avoidance of doubt, set out below is a non-exhaustive list of examples of communications and records which do not constitute publication within the meaning of this order (providing always that proper steps are taken to protect the confidentiality of information from being made public). In this list references to ‘the anonymised party’ include that party’s appointed representatives and advisers, such as solicitor, Litigation Friend, attorney, trustee and deputy.
i. Retention by all parties to the claim, their representatives, and their advisers of their unredacted files for the purposes of their continuing functions and obligations in relation to the proceedings.
ii. Communications between the Defendants, their insurers, or their successors in title and their legal and professional advisers, reinsurers, HM Revenue and Customs (or its successor), the Compensation Recovery Unit or any other person required by law.
iii. Communications between the anonymised party’s representatives and advisers in managing that party’s affairs.
iv. Communications for the purpose of obtaining medical care, advice or treatment for the anonymised party.
v. Communications between the Defendants’ legal advisors, their insurers, lay witnesses and expert witnesses in these proceedings
IT IS ORDERED THAT
1. The identity of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend and the First Defendant, as parties 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 Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend and the First Defendant or other immediate family members, or any details (including other names, addresses, or a specific combination of facts) that could lead to the identification of the Claimant in these proceedings. The Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend and 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:
i. The Claimant shall be referred to as “JXW”.
ii. The First Defendant shall be referred to as “PXP”
iii. The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “SXW”
iv. Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend (including any names of other 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 subparagraphs 3(i) to (iv) 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 by no later than 06 November 2024 file with the Court an electronic (PDF) bundle of the statements of case that has been anonymised in accordance with paragraph 3 above and re-filed 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 17 October 2024 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, trustee or deputy.
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.