Moves to appeal after court upholds ban on naming judges who presided over Sara Sharif hearings

‘Unprecedented’ decision taken to protect judicial anonymity despite huge public interest in case

• Inexperienced social worker did not identify Sara Sharif’s father as posing any risk

The high court judge who banned the media from reporting the names of the fellow judges who oversaw three sets of family court proceedings relating to the murdered schoolgirl Sara Sharif, on Friday night refused permission to appeal against his decision.

The reporting restriction protecting judges’ identities that was made by Mr Justice Williams on Monday is thought to be unprecedented in relation to family court proceedings.