LF -v- CB and another (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: KB-2024-001008

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

3 July 2025

Before:

Master Armstrong

Between:

LF (A Protected Party acting by his Mother and Litigation Friend, NT)

-v-

CB

Zurich Insurance Company Limited

Order

BEFORE Master Armstrong sitting as a High Court Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL, Kings Bench Division on 3rd July 2025.

WHEREAS the Claimant has brought these proceedings against the Defendants claiming damages for personal injury and other losses as a result of a Road Traffic Collision on 5th May 2021.

UPON hearing Counsel for the Claimant and Leading Counsel for the Defendants.

AND UPON

  1. Consideration of the Claimant’s Article 8 right to respect of private and family life and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.
  2. It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend and the First Defendant is necessary to protect the interests of the Claimant and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
  3. The Defendants indicating their neutrality to the making of the order and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party.

AND PURSUANT to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and Civil Procedure Rules “CPR” 5.4A to 5.4D and 39.2 (4).

AND 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.

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

  1. The identities of the Claimant, his mother (the Claimant’s Litigation Friend) and the First Defendant in these proceedings are protected and shall not be published.
  2. Pursuant to CPR Rule 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings the name or address or email address of the Claimant, the Claimant’s mother and the First Defendant, or any details that could lead to the identification of the Claimant. The parties shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 3 of this Anonymity Order.
  3. In any report of these proceedings or other publication (by whatever medium), including in all statements of case and other documents subsequently to be filed in the proceedings, and in any Judgment or Order in the proceedings in relation thereto:
    i) The Claimant shall be referred to as “LF”;
    ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “NT”;
    iii) The First Defendant shall be referred to as “CB”;
    iv) That the address of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend be stated in all statements of case and other documents to be filed in the proceedings as the address for the Claimant’s Solicitors.
    v) Any other details liable to lead to the identification of the Claimant and/or his Litigation Friend (including any names of other family members or addresses) shall be redacted before publication.
  4. Pursuant to CPR 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 paragraph 3 above.
    ii) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR r5.4C(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 Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 03.07.2025 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.”
  6. That in so far as necessary, any statement of case or other document disclosing the Claimant’s name or address or the name or address of the Litigation Friend already filed in the proceedings be replaced by a document redacting such name and address as above by 4.00pm on 14.08.25.
  7. That the unredacted original of any such document disclosing the name or address of the Claimant or of the Litigation Friend or of the First Defendant is to be placed on the Court file in a sealed envelope marked “not to be opened without the permission of a Judge of the High Court”.
  8. That a non-party may not inspect or obtain a copy of any document on or from the Court file (other than this Order duly anonymised as directed) without the permission of a Master or District Judge. Any application for such permission must be made on notice to the Claimant and the Court will effect service. The file is to be retained by the Court and marked “Anonymised”.
  9. That reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend in relation to these proceedings. The publication of the name and address of the Claimant or of any member of the Claimant’s immediate family and Litigation Friend or First Defendant is prohibited in relation to these proceedings. 
  10. The provisions of this Order shall not apply:-
    i) To communications between the Court Funds Office and the anonymised party or Litigation Friend and/or Claimant and/ or Court of Protection and/or the Claimant’s Court of Protection Deputy in relation to payment of money into the Court Funds office for the benefit of the anonymised party or the investment or treatment of payment out of such money;
    ii) To communications between the Court Funds Office and/or the anonymised party or Litigation Friend and/ or Court of Protection and / or the Claimant’s Court of Protection Deputy and any financial institutions concerned as to the receipt of investment of such money;
    iii) To records kept by the Court Funds office or the anonymised party or Litigation Friend and/or Claimant and/ or Court of Protection and / or the Claimant’s Court of Protection Deputy  or such financial institution in relation to such money;
    iv) To communications and applications with the Court in relation to Fee remissions.
    v) To the Claimant or Litigation Friend or First Defendant’s social media use so long as they do not publish details of or refer to these proceedings;
    vi) To the Claimant or Litigation Friend’s fundraising in relation to this incident so long as they do not publish details of or refer to these proceedings.
  11. The Claimant shall file this Order and serve the same upon the Defendants.
  12. Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge this Order, provided that such application is made on 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitor, trustee or deputy.
  13. Pursuant to the ‘Practice Guidance: Publication of Privacy and Anonymity Orders’ issued by the Master of the Rolls dated 16.04.19, 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.
  14. Costs in the case.