RFV -v- The Personal Representatives of John Middleman, deceased (anonymity order)
Claim number: KB-2025-BHM-000204
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Birmingham District Registry
28 April 2026
Before:
HHJ Emma Kelly
(sitting as a Judge of the High Court)
Between:
RFV
(a protected party by her litigation friend, TGB)
(Claimant)
-v-
(1) The Personal Representatives of John Middleman (deceased)
(2) Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Limited
(Defendants/Applicants)
Anonymity order
UPON hearing Counsel for the Claimant and Counsel for the Defendants on 4 March 2026 at the Defendants’ Applications for non-party disclosure orders
AND UPON the question of anonymity of the participants arising for the reasons set out in the judgment with neutral citation [2026] EWHC 916 (KB)
AND UPON CONSIDERING the Article 8 rights of the Claimant and her sister to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to the Claimant and her sister
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 and her sister’s and her mother’s and her father’s identity is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the Claimant’s and her sister’s interests
AND UPON THE COURT FURTHER CONCLUDING that it is necessary to make a reporting restriction order
IT IS ORDERED that:
- The names of the Claimant and her sister and her mother and her father are to be withheld in the statements of case, and in any judgments and orders in this claim, and for those purposes:
a. the Claimant shall be referred to as RFV;
b. the Claimant’s father and litigation friend shall be referred to as TGB;
c. the Claimant’s 18-year-old sister shall be referred to as UJM;
d. the Claimant’s mother shall be referred to as YHN.
2. The Claimant’s address on the claim form shall be substituted by the Claimant’s solicitor’s address.
3. 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 of the Claimant;
b. the name or address of the Claimant’s father, her 18-year-old sister, or her mother;
c. any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, her father, her 18-year-old sister, or her mother;
d. any image or likeness of the Claimant, her father, her 18-year-old sister, or her mother.
- 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:
a. 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 1 and 2 above.
b. 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, 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 and 2 above by 4pm on 19 May 2026.
- The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 28 April 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.
- This order shall lapse automatically on the death of the Claimant and her 18-year-old sister, 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 by email to the Judicial Office at judicialwebupdates@judiciary.uk