Lincolnshire County Council v X & Ors [2023] EWCOP 52 & EWCOP 53

Related judgments concerning contempt of court application and subsequent committal application

The Official Solicitor made the original application on behalf of X a vulnerable adult who has an important relationship with LB and MK. The OS contended the contact between X and LB and MK is harmful to X; LB asks X for money and also requires X to have sex to ‘pay’ LB’s debts. The application sought to enforce restrictions on contact between X and LB and MK following a series of breaches of a previous court order.

The first judgment - EWCOP 52 - concerns whether the contempt of court hearing should be heard in private. After conducting a balancing exercise, the judge concludes it should, as to hear it in open court would harm X and would be 'part of the very harm which the proceedings seek to protect against'.

The second judgment - EWCOP 53 - is an application for committal following breaches of the orders. The judge imposes sentences but suspends them as there had been a gap between the last breach and this hearing.

Read the judgments in full on Bailii: 

• Lincolnshire COP 52 
• Lincolnshire COP 53