List of privacy injunction cases in English law

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This article lists cases in English law where anonymised privacy injunctions have been obtained. As super-injunctions can also be considered a type of anonymised privacy injunction they have also been included below.

Contents

Anonymised privacy injunctions

CaseNotes
ABC & Others v Telegraph Media Group Ltd [1] Involves a businessman, alleged sexual misconduct in the workplace, and non-disclosure agreements. The businessman was named as Sir Philip Green by Lord Hain using Parliamentary Privilege. [2]
AMM v HXW [3] Also known as Clarkson v Hall after broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson voluntarily lifted the injunction.
ASG v GSA [4] Involves a well known person who had an adulterous relationship
CBL v Person Unknown [4] Beyond the fact that it exists no information is known about this injunction. [5]
CDE & FGH v Mirror Group Newspapers and LMN [6] A misuse of private information claim
Christoper Hutcheson (previously known as KGM) v News Group Newspapers [4] Concerned the private life of Christoper Hutcheson.
ETK v News Group Newspapers Ltd An entertainment actor's affair.
Goldsmith v BCD Hacking of Zac Goldsmith's e-mails.
Gray v UVW Urgent interim injunction granted restraining the defendant from publishing confidential information. [4]
JIH v News Group Newspapers Ltd Relates to a sportsman. [4]
KJH v HGF [7] Blackmail case.
LOD v News Group Newspapers Ltd [4] Nothing beyond the case name is known. Judgment was ordered on 19/09/2008. [4]
MNB v News Group Concerned the private life of banker Fred Goodwin. Breached by John Hemming MP using Parliamentary Privilege.
MJN v News Group Newspapers Ltd Alleged affair of a Premiership footballer.
NEJ v Wood Concerns an alleged relationship between Helen Wood and a well-known actor
OPQ v BJM [8] Blackmail case. [8]
POI v Lina Blackmail case
PJS v News Group Newspapers Involves two well known figures in entertainment. Injunction was to be lifted by the Court of Appeal after their identities were revealed abroad and in Scotland, but remained in force following appeal to the Supreme Court. [9]
QWE v SDF, GHJ and RTY [10] Blackmail regarding a sexual relationship [10]
RJA v AJR [4] Misuse of private information and harassment. [4]
Secretary of State for the Home Department v AP (No. 2) Threat of violence to man formerly subject to a control order. [4]
STU v UVW and XYZ [11] A case record exists on Bailii but no facts are included
TSE and ELP v News Group Newspapers [4] Involves a footballer [4]
TUV v Persons Unknown [4] Information stolen from electronic devices. [4]
VAM v Persons Unknown [4] Further information about this injunction is not known. [4]
WER v REW [4] Chris Hutcheson took out an injunction against a website wishing to prevent details of his private life being made public
WXY v Henry Gewanter [4] Breach of confidence and misuse of private information. [12]
XJA v News Group Newspapers Ltd Involves a "well known person". [4]
YYZ v YVR [4] Involves a well known person. [4]
ZAM v CFW & TFW [13] Interim injunction to prevent publication of very serious allegation including criminal conduct. [4]
ZXC v BNM [4] An England footballer has an injunction in place to prevent the misuse of private information about him. [14]
Z v Persons Unknown [4] Unreported case [4]

Lifetime privacy injunctions

Lifetime privacy injunctions prevent the publication of a new identity.

CaseDetails
Carr v News Group Newspapers Ltd Granted to Maxine Carr following the Soham murders
Venables v News Group Newspapers Granted to killers of James Bulger
X (a woman formerly known as Mary Bell and Y v O'Brien) Granted to child killer Mary Bell

Super-injunctions

The following cases are super-injunctions where the existence of the injunction itself was also secret:

CaseMethod of Revelation
RJW v Guardian News and Media Ltd (Trafigura) Paul Farrelly, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, had tabled a parliamentary question revealing the existence of the injunction. [15]
Ntuli v Donald A super-injunction was granted but later dischargd. [6]
DFT v TFD A super-injunction was granted but later discontinued. [16]
Terry v Persons Unknown Application for a super-injunction was rejected. [17]
CTB v News Group Newspapers Revealed by John Hemming MP using Parliamentary privilege. [18] [19]
Andrew Marr and anonymousUnreported case. Issued in 2008, its existence was revealed by Andrew Marr in a 2011 interview. [20]

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<i>CTB v News Group Newspapers Ltd</i> UK legal case

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<i>NEJ v Wood</i>

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In English tort law, a super-injunction is a type of injunction that prevents publication of information that is in issue and also prevents the reporting of the fact that the injunction exists at all. The term was coined by a Guardian journalist covering the 2006 Ivory Coast toxic waste dump controversy that had resulted in Trafigura obtaining a controversial injunction. Due to their very nature media organisations are not able to report who has obtained a super-injunction without being in contempt of court.

WER v REW was an anonymised legal case in which Chris Hutcheson, represented by Hugh Tomlinson, QC, of Schillings, took out an injunction to prevent Popdog Ltd from publishing details regarding his private life, and was heard before Justice Sir Charles Grey in January 2009. Hutcheson – Gordon Ramsay's former business partner and father-in-law – gained an injunction but it was later partially lifted, and ultimately overturned in the Court of Appeal, with Hutcheson being publicly named by the judge.

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<i>PJS v News Group Newspapers Ltd</i>

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MNB v News Group Newspapers also known as Goodwin v News Group Newspapers is an English privacy law case in which then banker Fred Goodwin successfully applied for a temporary injunction to prevent The Sun from publishing details about his private life. The injunction was breached by John Hemming MP in the House of Commons where the case was inaccurately referred to as a super-injunction.

A springboard injunction is a specific type of court order issued under English and Welsh law, which is typically used to prevent a former employee from misusing their former employer's confidential information. It potentially has relevance in other jurisdictions.

References

  1. "ABC & Ors v Telegraph Media Group Ltd [2018] EWCA Civ 2329 (23 October 2018)". www.bailii.org. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. Claire Newell; Hayley Dixon (25 October 2018). "Sir Philip Green named in Parliament as businessman at centre of Britain's #MeToo scandal". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  3. dls (9 November 2021). "AMM v HXW: QBD 7 Oct 2010". swarb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Butterworth, Siobhain (5 August 2011). "Superinjunctions, gagging orders and injunctions: the full list". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  5. Privacy injunction hearings: not ‘super’ but anonymous | Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism Blog
  6. 1 2 "Data and privacy". RPC. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  7. "KJH v HGF". 5RB Barristers. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  8. 1 2 "OPQ v BJM".
  9. "PJS -v- News Group Newspapers Ltd - The Supreme Court". Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
  10. 1 2 Shaw, Adrian (2 December 2011). "High Court passes two new privacy injunctions". mirror. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  11. THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE TUGENDHAT (30 November 2011), STU v UVW & Anor [2011] EWHC 3133 (QB) , retrieved 23 November 2021
  12. "How to Start an LLC.org | The Entrepreneur's Resource" . Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  13. THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE TUGENDHAT (7 March 2011), ZAM v CFW & Anor [2011] EWHC 476 (QB) , retrieved 23 November 2021
  14. "England player wins 'gagging order'". www.standard.co.uk. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  15. "Trafigura: anatomy of a super-injunction". The Guardian. 20 October 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  16. "Mlfoe - Dft V. Tfd". Archived from the original on 31 March 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  17. "John Terry: The boot on the other foot? | Steeles Law Solicitors | Norwich, Norfolk, London". Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  18. "Gagging Order: MP Names Footballer In Commons". Sky News . UK. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  19. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 23 May 2011 (pt 0001)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  20. "Ian Hislop attacks Andrew Marr over super injunction". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2021.