LWP -v- Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (anonymity order)
Claim number: N00DD309
In the County Court at Dudley
3 June 2026
Before:
Deputy District Judge Singh
Between:
LWP
(a child, by her litigation friend, the Official Solicitor)
(Claimant)
-v-
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
(Defendant)
Order
Before Deputy District Judge Singh sitting at the County Court at Dudley, Sitting At Dudley Court House, The Inhedge, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 1RY.
UPON READING the Claimant’s application date 29 May 2026
AND 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
Deputy District
IT IS ORDERED that
- The name of the Claimant and her adoptive parents 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 LWP
(ii) The Claimant’s adoptive mother shall be referred to as LWJ
(iii) The Claimant’s adoptive father shall be referred to as LWC
- 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, school, or any other specific feature of the Claimant
b) The name or address of the Claimant’s adoptive parents
c) Any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant or the Claimant’s adoptive parents
d) Any image or likeness of the Claimant or the Claimant’s adoptive parents.
- Any reports or other communications to the public which exist prior to the date of this order are not affected by this order.
- 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 1 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.
- The Claimant’s solicitor shall file with the Court copies of any existing statements of case anonymised in accordance with paragraph 1 above by 21 days from the date of the order.
- The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 2 June 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.”
- 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.
- This order shall lapse automatically on the death of the Claimant and its provisions shall have no effect from that time.
- Pursuant to 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 email to the Judicial Office at judicialwebupdates@iudiciary.uk.
- Costs in the case.
Dated 2 June 2026