WLG -v- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and others (anonymity order)

CivilHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: QB-2022-000955

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

4 November 2024

Before:

Mr Steven Gasztowicz KC
sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge

Between:

WLG
(A protected party by her mother and litigation friend WLY)

-v-

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
(First Defendant)

David Alan Hunter
(Second Defendant)

David Gordon Maynard
(Third Defendant)

and

Orchard Croft Medical Centre
(Fourth Defendant)

Anonymity order

BEFORE Mr Steven Gasztowicz KC sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London

UPON HEARING Michael Mylonas KC on behalf of the Claimant and Michael Horne KC on behalf of the First Defendant and John Whitting KC on behalf of the Second, Third and Forth Defendants

AND UPON consideration of the Claimant’s Article 8 right to respect of private and family life and the Article 10 right to freedom of expression

AND UPON IT APPEARING that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant is necessary in order to protect the interests of the Claimant

AND PURSUANT to rule 39.2(4) of the CPR, section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and rules 5.4C and 5.4D of the CPR

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:

  1. That the identity of the Claimant shall not be disclosed.

  2. That the Claimant and the Litigation Friend be described in all statements of case and other documents to be filed or served in the proceedings and in any judgment or order in the proceedings and in any report of the proceedings by the press or otherwise as follows:

    (a) Claimant: “WLG”

    (b) Litigation Friend: “WLY”

  3. That the address of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend be stated in all statements of case and other documents to be filed or served in the proceedings as the address of the Claimant’s solicitors.

  4. That a non-party may not inspect or obtain a copy of any document on or from the Court file (other than this order duly anonymised as directed) without the permission of a Judge or Master of the King’s Bench Division. Any application for such permission must be made on notice to the First Claimant and the Court will affect service. The file is to be retained by the Court and marked “Anonymised”.

  5. That reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent identification of the Claimant as a party to proceedings. The publication of the name and address of the Claimant or of any member of the Claimant’s immediate family or the name and address of the Litigation Friend is prohibited. No report of anything said at the Approval Hearing pursuant to CPR rule 21.10 shall be a breach of this Order.

  6. That nothing in this Order shall prevent the Claimant, the Litigation Friend, or the parties’ legal advisers from making such disclosure to medical, expert, or financial specialists as may be required in relation to the further conduct of the Claimant’s claim.

  7. That any non-party affected by this Order may apply on notice to all parties to have this Order set aside or varied.

Dated the 4th November 2024