SXG -v- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and another (anonymity order)
Claim Number: KB-2024-001919
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
31 October 2024
Before:
Senior Master Cook
Between:
SXG (A Child and Protected Party through her Litigation Friend SXB)
-v-
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
Order
BEFORE Senior Master Cook sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand on 31 October 2024.
UPON hearing Mr Andrew Post one of His Majesty’s Counsel on behalf of the Claimant and James Bolton, solicitor, on behalf of the Defendants.
AND UPON:
- Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimant to respect for private and family life, and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.
- It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
- 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; 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 (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 The identity of the Claimant and of his Litigation Friend as parties to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be published.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 Claimant, 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 Claimant in these proceedings. The Claimant 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 Claimant shall be referred to as SXG
(ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as SXB
(iii) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant (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 Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 31 October 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.”
6. 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.
7. Costs in the case.