NW -v- Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)

High CourtQueen's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim No: QB-2022-MAN-000177

In the High Court of Justice
Queen’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry
Clinical Negligence

5 September 2022

Before:
HHJ Sephton QC

Between:
NW
(a child, by her father and litigation friend,
SW)
-v-
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust


Anonymity Order

BEFORE HHJ SEPHTON QC sitting at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre as a Judge of the High Court on September 5th 2022

UPON HEARING Mr Christopher Melton, one of Her Majesty’s Counsel, on behalf of the Claimant and Mr David Locke, solicitor advocate, on behalf of the Defendant.

WHEREAS the Claimant, a protected party who proceeds by her father and Litigation Friend, has made a claim (the “Claim”) against the Defendant for personal injuries suffered by her arising out of the Defendant’s negligence

AND UPON READING the Opinion of Leading Counsel for the Claimant, dated September 1st 2022

AND WHEREAS the Defendant has admitted liability

AND UPON

(1) Consideration of the Claimant’s Article 8 right to respect for 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 is necessary in order to protect the interests of the Claimant.

(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).

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

  1. The identity of the Claimant in these proceedings is protected and shall not be published.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 or any details that could lead to the identification of the Claimant. The Claimant 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 or served in the proceedings, and in any Judgment or Order in the proceedings in relation thereto:

(i) The Claimant shall be referred to as “NW” and the litigation friend as ‘SW’;

(ii) Any other details liable to lead to the identification of the Claimant (including any names of other family members or addresses) shall be redacted before publication.

  1. That in so far as necessary, any statement of case or other document disclosing the Claimant’s name or address or that of the litigation friend already filed in the proceedings be replaced by a document redacting such name or address as above.
  2. That the unredacted original of any such document disclosing the name or address of the Claimant is to be placed on the Court file in a sealed envelope marked ‘not to be opened without the permission of a Judge or District Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division.’
  3. Pursuant to CPR Rule 5.4C:

(i) A person who is not a party to the proceedings may obtain a copy of a statement of case, Judgment or Order from the Court records only if the statement of case, Judgment or Order has been anonymised in accordance with paragraphs 3 and 4 above;

(ii) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C (1B) or (2)) for permission to obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be on at least 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s Solicitor and the Court will effect service.

  1. Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge this anonymity Order, providing that any such Application is made on notice to the Claimant’s Solicitor and that at least 7 days’ prior notice of the intention to make such an application is given.