VEE -v- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (anonymity order)
Claim number: KB-2026-MAN-000238
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry
25 June 2026
Before:
HHJ Evans,
sitting as a Judge of the High Court
Between:
VEE
(as Co-Administratrix of the Estate of VGG, deceased, in her own right
as the surviving cohabiting partner and a Dependant of the Deceased,
and on behalf of the other Dependants of the Deceased)
(Claimant)
-v-
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
(Defendant)
Anonymity order
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.
BEFORE HHJ Evans sitting as a Judge of the High Court at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre on 25th June 2026
UPON HEARING Christopher Melton, one of His Majesty’s Counsel on behalf of the Claimant and Helen Wolstenholme, of Counsel, on behalf of the Defendant.
AND UPON considering the protective nature of the approval jurisdiction pursuant to CPR 21.10.
AND UPON considering the Article 8 rights of the minor dependants to respect for their 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 identities of the minor dependants is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect their interests.
AND UPON the Court further concluding that it is necessary to make a reporting restriction order.
IT IS ORDERED THAT:
- The identities of the Claimant, of the deceased and of the dependents shall be withheld in the statements of case and in any judgments and orders in this claim and, for those purposes:
(1) The Claimant shall be referred to as VEE.
(2) The Deceased shall be referred to as VGG.
(3) The first minor dependent shall be referred to as VSS.
(4) The second minor dependant shall be referred to as VMM.
- The addresses of the Claimant, of the deceased and of the dependents shall be withheld from any statements of case, judgments and orders and any address appearing on the Claim Form shall be substituted by the address of the Claimant’s solicitors.
- 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:
(1) the names or addresses of the Claimant, of the deceased and of the dependents;
(2) any particulars likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, of the deceased or of the dependents;
(3) any image or likeness of the Claimant, of the deceased or of the dependents. - Any reports or other communications to the public which exist prior to the date of this Order are not affected by this Order.
- Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D: (1) 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 paragraph 1 above. (2) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR 5.4C(2)) for permission to inspect or obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be made on at least 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitors unless the Court orders otherwise.
- The Claimant’s solicitors shall file with the Court copies of any existing statements of case anonymised in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 above within 21 days of the date of this Order.
- The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words:
“An anonymity order was made in this case on 25 June 2026 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy of a document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order.”
- Any interested party, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or set aside this Order, provided that any such application is made on 7 days’ notice to the Claimant’s solicitors.
- This Order shall lapse automatically upon the death of whoever dies later of VSS and VMM, unless the Court otherwise orders.
- Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5), a copy of this Order shall be published on the website of the Judiciary of England and Wales (www.judiciary.uk). For that purpose, a court officer will send a copy of the Order by email to judicialwebupdates@judiciary.uk.
Dated this 25th day of June 2026
Order approved by HH Judge Evans on 26 June 2026