XYZ -v- Euro Garages Limited (anonymity order)

High CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim No: QB-2022-MAN-000064

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division

14 October 2022

Before:
His Honour Judge Bird

Between:
XYZ
-v-
Euro Garages Limited


Anonymity Order

BEFORE HIS HONOUR JUDGE BIRD sitting at the King’s Bench Manchester District Registry on 14th October 2022.

UPON HEARING Mr Hartley KC, Leading Counsel for the Claimant, and Ms Murphy, Counsel for the Defendant;

AND UPON:
(1) The Claimant’s application dated 07.07.2022 (amended 22.07.2022) for an anonymity order and order restraining publication.
(2) 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.
(3) It appearing that non-disclosure of the identity of the Claimant is necessary in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
(4) The Defendant indicating its neutrality to the making of the order, but expressing views on the content of that 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; section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981; and CPR rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4).

WHEREAS:
(1) For the purposes of this order:
(i) ‘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.
(ii) 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.
(2) For the avoidance of doubt, set out below is a non-exhaustive list of examples of communications and records which do not constitute publication within the meaning of this order (providing always that proper steps are taken to protect the confidentiality of information from being made public). In this list references to ‘the anonymised party’ include that party’s appointed representatives and advisers, such as solicitor.
(i) Retention by all parties to the claim, their representatives, and their advisers of their unredacted files for the purposes of their continuing functions and obligations in relation to the proceedings.
(ii) Communications between the Defendant, witnesses, experts, third parties holding relevant documents, service providers, its insurers, or their successors in title and their legal and professional advisers, reinsurers, HM Revenue and Customs (or its successor), the Compensation Recovery Unit or any other person required by law.
(iii) Communications for the purpose of obtaining medical care, advice or treatment for the anonymised party.

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 XYZ as the Claimant in these proceedings. The Claimant and her immediate family 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 “XYZ”.
    (ii) The immediate family members shall be referred to by their relationship to the Claimant ie: “XYZ’s mother”
    (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.
  5. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 14.10.2022 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. 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 notice to the Claimant’s solicitor, and that 7 days’ prior notice of the intention to make such an application is given.
  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. For the reasons set out below, the Claimant’s solicitor shall send a copy of this order to the Press Association using the email address customer.services@pamediagroup.com together with the Explanatory Note already sent. Any application by the Press Association to be made in accordance with paragraph 6 of this order above.
  9. The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.