RJK and others -v- Axa Insurance Plc (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim Number: KB-2023-LDS-000048

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Leeds High Court of Justice

21 August 2024

Before:

His Honour Judge Mark Gargan sitting as a judge of the High Court at Leeds District Registry

Between:

(1) RJK
(2) AEK
(3) RXM
(4) TYV
(5) DZV
(Children who are proceeding by their Litigation Friend, RBW)
(6) KCW

-v-

Axa Insurance Plc

Order

UPON the Application of the parties before His Honour Judge Mark Gargan sitting as a judge of the High Court at Leeds District Registry

AND UPON hearing Counsel for the Claimant and Counsel for the Defendant

AND UPON reading so far as necessary the documents submitted within the Approval Bundle

AND UPON
(1) Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimants and the Litigation Friend 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 Claimants and the Litigation Friend is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimants and the Litigation Friend and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
(3) The Defendant indicating its neutrality to the making of the order and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party.

AND PURSUANT to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4)

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 The identity of the Claimants as a party to these proceedings and the Litigation Friend is confidential and shall not be published.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 Claimants, 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 Claimants in these proceedings. The Claimants 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 First Claimant shall be referred to as RJK.
    (ii) The Second Claimant shall be referred to as AEK
    (iii) The Third Claimant shall be referred to as RXM.
    (iv) The Fourth Claimant shall be referred to as TYV
    (v) The Fifth Claimant shall be referred to as DZV
    (vi) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as RBW
    (vii) The Sixth Claimant shall be referred to as KCW
    (viii) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimants (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 by 4pm on 4 September 2024, 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 14 August 2024 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.