VBN -v- HJK and another (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

CLAIM NO. KB-2025-CDF-000134

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
KING’S BENCH DIVISION
CARDIFF DISTRICT REGISTRY

3 February 2026

BEFORE:

The Honourable Mr Justice Ritchie

Between:

VBN (A Protected Party by a Litigation Friend IOP)

-v-

HJK [1]

ADVANTAGE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED [2]

Order

BEFORE the Honourable Mr Justice Ritchie sitting at the Cardiff Civil Justice Centre on 3.2.2026.

AND UPON reading the application for anonymity made by the Claimant dated 26.1.2026 and the witness statement in support of the same date by the Claimant’s solicitor.

AND UPON the Claimant having advanced a claim for damages for personal injury against the Defendants.

AND UPON the parties having agreed an interim payment.

AND UPON the Claimant being a child for whom the Court of Protection has not yet appointed a deputy to manage the Claimant’s financial affairs.

AND UPON:

  1. Consideration of the ECHR Article 8 rights of the Claimant to respect for private and family life, and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.
  2. Consideration of section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981; Section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933; CPR rules 5.4 and 39.2 and the Court’s inherent jurisdiction.
  3. Consideration of the decisions in PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969  (KB) and JXMX v Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust [2015] EWCA Civ. 96.
  4. 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.
  5. The Defendants indicating there are no objections to the Claimant’s application for anonymity and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party.
  6. The Court accepting the Claimant’s evidence that there have been no requests for copies of the documents filed to date at Court by members of the public or the press and there have been no press reports of the claim to date.

AND 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. 

NOW IT IS ORDERED THAT

  1. The identity of the Claimant as a party to these proceedings and of the Litigation friend and the first Defendant (who is a relative of the Claimant) shall not be published and shall be replaced by ciphers in hearings in open court and in documents.
  2. There shall be no disclosure in any report of these proceedings or other publication of the name or address of the Claimant or 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. 
  3. In any judgment or report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:
    a)The Claimant shall be referred to as “VBN”.
    b) The litigation friend shall be referred to as “IOP”.
    c) The first Defendant shall be referred to as HJK”.
    d) 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:
    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 3(a) to (c) above.
    b) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies 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.
  5. The court paper and electronic files shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 3.2.2026 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.”
  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 date of the 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 or deputy. 
  8. The costs of this application shall be costs in the case.