SP -v- Virgin Active Limited (anonymity order)

County CourtAnonymity Order

Claim number: N00MA753

In the County Court at Manchester

7 May 2026

Before:

His Honour Judge Pearce

Between:

(1) SP
(2) QX
(Claimants)

-v-

Virgin Active Limited
(Defendant)

Order

Before His Honour Judge Pearce sitting at the County Court at Manchester, Manchester Civil Justice Cntr, 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester, M60 9DJ.

UPON hearing Ms Russell, Counsel for the Claimants, and Mrs McCollgan Kings Counsel for the Defendant

UPON the Claimants’ application dated 10 March February 2026

UPON CONSIDERING the Article 8 rights of the Claimants to respect for private and family life and the risk of harm that identification may cause to them

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 Claimants’ identities is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect all parties’ interests

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

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:-
(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 (1) 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 Claimants in this matter are entitled to anonymity until further order. The Claimants’ names are to be withheld from the public in these proceedings and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in open court.
  2. There must be substituted for all purposes in this claim in place of references to the First Claimant, whether orally or in writing, reference to “SP”.
  3. There must be substituted for all purposes in this claim in place of references to the Second Claimant, whether orally or in writing, reference to “QX”.
  4. The solicitors’ address should be used in place of the Claimants’ addresses.
  5. A non-party may not inspect or obtain a copy of any document from the court file other than this order (duly anonymised) without the permission of the Court. Any application for such permission must be made on at least 7 days’ notice to the parties.
  6. A non-party may not obtain any copy statement of case or other document from the Court file unless it has been edited (anonymised) in accordance with this direction.
  7. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and s.11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, the publication or disclosure of the identity of the Claimants or of any material that is likely to lead to the identification of the Claimants shall be prohibited.
  8. In any judgment or report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:

a. The First Claimant shall be referred to as “SP” and the Second Claimant shall be referred to as “QX”.
b. Any other details which, on their own or together, are likely to lead to the identification of the Claimants (including any names of other immediate family members or their addresses) shall be redacted before publication.

  1. The court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 6 May 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.”
  2. The Defendant or any non-party affected by this anonymity order may on 7 days’ notice apply to set it aside or vary it.
  3. The costs of obtaining this order shall be costs in the case.
  4. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5) and the Practice Guidance: Publication of Privacy and Anonymity Orders dated 16 April 2019 a copy of this order (duly anonymised) 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.

WARNING: you must comply with the terms imposed upon you by this Order: otherwise your case is liable to be struck out or some other sanction imposed. If you cannot comply you are expected to make a formal application to the Court before any deadline imposed upon you expires.

Dated 6 May 2026