ZXY -v- VXY (anonymity order)
Claim number: QB-2022-001781
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
13 December 2025
Before:
Master Dagnall
Between:
ZXY
(A Protected Beneficiary by her Grandfather and
Litigation Friend WXY)
-v-
VXY
Anonymity order
BEFORE Master Dagnall sitting in the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London on the 13 December 2024 by Microsoft Teams
UPON hearing Sarah Pritchard of King’s Counsel on behalf of the Claimant and Andrew Mclaughlin of Counsel on behalf of the Defendant
WHEREAS the Claimant has made a claim (“the claim”) against the Defendant for personal injuries suffered by her arising out of an accident which occurred on 11March 2008 and in respect of which the Defendant has admitted liability
AND WHEREAS the Claimant is a protected beneficiary and may be (although such has not been determined by the Court) a protected party and brings a claim by her litigation friend and Grandfather, WXY, and which is the subject of a settlement which has been approved by the court pursuant to CPR21.10 and/or the inherent jurisdiction of the Court (and on a Coles v Perfect basis)
AND UPON:
1) Consideration of the Article 8 rights of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend 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, the Litigation Friend and the Defendant is necessary to secure the proper administration of justice and in order to protect the interests of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend and that there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
3) The Defendant indicating that it is neutral as regards 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 section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and CPR rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4)
AND UPON the Court having regard to the decision in PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969 but considering it appropriate to make this order at this time, particularly having regard to the decision of JX MX v Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust [2015] 1 WLR 3647 and pending the decision of the Court of Appeal in PMC.
AND 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:
- The identity of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend and the Defendant as parties to these proceedings is confidential and shall not be published.
- There shall not be disclosed in any report of these proceedings or other publication the name or address of the Claimant, the Litigation Friend or the Defendant 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 or the Litigation Friend or the Defendant in these proceedings. The Claimant and the Litigation Friend and the Defendant shall be referred to as set out at paragraph 3 of this Order.
- In any judgment or report of these proceedings, or other publication (by whatever medium) in relation thereto:
(a) The Claimant shall be referred to as ZXY
(b) The Claimant’s Litigation Friend shall be referred to as WXY
(c) The Defendant shall be referred to as VXY
(d) Any other details which, on their own or together with other information publicly available, may lead to the identification of the Claimant or the Litigation Friend and the Defendant (including any names of other immediate family members or their addresses) shall be redacted before publication. - Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D:
(a) 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 (iv) above.
(b) If a person who is not a party to the proceedings (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. - The Claimant’s solicitor shall file with the Court an electronic (PDF) bundle of the statements of case that have been anonymised in accordance with paragraph 3 above by 20th December 2024.
- The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 13 December 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.”
- 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. Any such application may be made, if so advised, before or after the Court of Appeal’s determination in PMC v A Local Health Board [2024] EWHC 2969.
- 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.
- The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the case.