WBT -v- Stoke-on-Trent City Council (anonymity order)

County CourtAnonymity Order

Claim number: M00SQ568

In the County Court at Stoke-on-Trent

22 July 2025

Before:

District Judge Dunn

Between:

WBT
(L/F the Official Solicitor)

-v-

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Anonymity order

Before District Judge Dunn sitting at the County Court at Stoke On Trent, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on- trent, ST1 3BP.

UPON READING an application notice and draft order filed by the Solicitors for the Claimant

AND UPON
(1) 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.
(2) 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.
(3) The Defendant having not stated any opposition to the making of this application and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party.

AND PURSUANT to s6 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 the 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 The identity of the Claimant as a party to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be published.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 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 shall be referred to as set out in 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 Claimants shall be referred to as “WBT”.
    (ii) 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 subparagraph 3(i) to (ii) above.
    (ii) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR 5.4C(1) 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 including orders that the Claimant’s name shall not be published, imposing reporting restrictions in respect of these proceedings and restricting non- party access to documents from the Court file was made in this case on 7 July 2025. Any application by a non-arty 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. 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.
  8. The costs of obtaining this Order be costs in the case.

    Dated 7 July 2025