MXK -v- Mr Simon John Nortcliffe and another (anonymity order)
Claim Number: L80SE008
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Sheffield District Registry
8 April 2025
Before:
His Honour Judge Baddeley
Between:
MXK (A Protected Party) by SXD His Litigation Friend
-v-
Mr Simon John Nortcliffe
and
McGregor Logistics Ltd
Order
BEFORE HIS HONOUR JUDGE BADDELEY sitting at Sheffield District Registry, The Law Courts, 50 West Bar, Sheffield, S3 8PH on 8th April 2025
UPON HEARING Mr David Knifton, King’s Counsel for the Claimant and Mr Andrew Cousins, Counsel for the Defendant.
AND UPON the application dated 6 February 2025:
(1) Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimant to respect for private and family life, and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.
(2) Consideration of the decisions in PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969 (KB) and JX MX v Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust [2015] EWCA Civ 96.
(3) The Court being satisfied on the facts of this case that:
(i) Non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the legitimate interests of the Claimant under Article 8;
(ii) There is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure, notwithstanding the principle of open justice and the Articular 10 rights of the public at large, having particulars regard (as required by section 12(4) of the Human Rights Act 1998) to the importance of the right to freedom of expression; and
(iii) It is necessary and proportionate to make the Order set out below.
(4) The Court being satisfied that not to impose a reporting restriction would be incompatible with the Claimant’s Convention rights, and contrary to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998.
(5) It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant 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.
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:
(i) 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.
(ii) 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, but shall not require amendment to or removal of an existing lawful publication which is in the public domain.
IT IS ORDERED THAT:
1. The identity of the Claimant 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 Claimant, the Claimant’s Litigation Friend 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 and the Litigation Friend 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 “MXK”
ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “SXD”
iii) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant (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 (iii) 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 within 21 days 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 8th April 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.”
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.