WA -v- DK and another (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim Number: QB-2021-MAN-000220

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Manchester District Registry

15 April 2024

Before:
Mr Recorder Allan KC
sitting as a Judge in the High Court

Between:
WA
(A child who proceeds by his Litigation Friend, LF)
-v-
(1) DK
(2) Covea Insurance PLC

Anonymity Order

BEFORE Mr Recorder Allan KC sitting as a Judge in the High Court, King’s Bench Division, Manchester District Registry at Manchester, Civil Justice Centre, 1 Bridge Street West, Manchester, M60 9DJ on 15 April 2024

UPON HEARING Mr Nicholas Braslavsky KC for the Claimant and Mr Niall Maclean for the Second Defendant, the First Defendant being neither present nor represented

AND UPON considering the Claimant’s application for an Anonymity Order in these proceedings.

(1) Consideration of the Article 8 rights of WA to respect for private and family life, and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression.

(2) It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant and his Litigation Friend along with the First Defendant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of WA and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.

(3) The Second 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 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and his Litigation Friend along with the First Defendant as a party to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be published.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, the First Defendant 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 “WA”.
    (ii) The Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “LF”.
    (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 Claimant’s solicitor shall file with the Court an electronic (PDF) bundle of the statements of case that has been anonymised in accordance with paragraph 3 above by 19 April 2024, and re-filed in the event that any statement of case is amended, within 21 days of such amendment being approved.
  6. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 15 April 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.”
  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, trustee or deputy.
  8. Pursuant to the ‘Practice Guidance: Publication of Privacy and Anonymity Orders’ issued by the Master of the Rolls dated 16 April 2019 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.
  9. The terms of this Order do not apply to communications within and between the Second Defendant, its insurers and reinsurers, its legal and professional advisers and representatives, to HM Revenue and Customs, to the DWP, to the Compensation Recovery Unit, within, between and to the successors or successors in title of any of the aforesaid, or to any other person required by law.
  10. The Second Defendant, its representatives, and their advisers may retain their unredacted files for the purposes of their continuing functions and obligations in relation to the proceedings.
  11. The costs of obtaining this order be no order as to costs.

DATED the 15th day of April 2024