SDX -v- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Anonymity for children and protected parties – Prohibition of Publication Order

Claim number: KB-2023-001647

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Clinical Negligence

21 October 2025

Before:

James Healy-Pratt,
sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court of Justice

Between:

SDX
(A protected party, by his litigation friend, SAX)

-v-

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Withholding order

BEFORE James Healy-Pratt sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court of Justice on 21 October 2025

AND UPON HEARING Christopher Johnston KC on behalf of the Claimant and Judith Ayling KC on behalf of the Defendant.

AND UPON the application notice dated 8 August 2025:

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 and the Litigation Friend to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to the Claimant and the Litigation Friend

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 identity of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend

AND UPON 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 UPON THE COURT FURTHER CONCLUDING that it is necessary to make a reporting restriction order

IT IS ORDERED that:

  1. The names of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend and the Claimant’s parents 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 “SDX”
    b) the Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “SAX”
    c) The Claimant’s mother shall be referred to as “SBX”
  2. .The Claimant’s address on the claim form shall be substituted by the Claimant’s solicitor’s address: 236 Grays Inn Road, London, WC1X 8HB.
  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 or care home of the Claimant;
    b) The name or address of the Litigation Friend or Claimant’s parents
    c) Any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend or the Claimant’s parents;
    d) Any image or likeness of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend/ or the Claimant’s parents .
  4. Any reports or other communications to the public which exist prior to the date of this order are not affected by this order.
  5. 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 the statement of case, judgment, or order from the Court records unless the statement of case, judgment or order has been anonymised in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 above.
    b) 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 or deputy unless the court orders otherwise .
  6. 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 21 days from the date of the order
  7. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 21 October 2025 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy document from the file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order”.
  8. Provided that the parties and/or their advisers and/or NHS Resolution do not publish any documents containing references to the Claimant or his Litigation Friend by name the parties be at liberty to retain their files in this case without alteration or substitution and to retain and generate internal documentation which identifies the Claimant and his Litigation Friend for the purposes of their continuing rights and obligations in relation to dealing with this claim and paragraphs 1 to 3 shall not apply in those respects. 
  9. The provisions of this Order shall not apply to communications between the Claimant and his parents and his solicitors or financial advisers or between the Defendants and any agent of the Defendants or other person who requires the name of the Claimant or his mother in order to comply with the terms of the settlement agreement or to any communication between the parties and/or documents which it is necessary to serve and/ or file in relation to the assessments of damages and/or costs.
  10. Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge paragraphs 1-9 of this Order, provided that any such application is made on notice to the Claimant’s solicitor or deputy, and that 7 days’ prior notice of the intention to make such an application is given.
  11. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5) 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.
  12. Costs in the case.

Dated this 21st day of October 2025