ALW and JLW -v- London Borough of Hackney (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-002312

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

In the matter of an application for judicial review

21 November 2025

Before:

Marcus Pilgerstorfer KC,
Deputy High Court Judge

Between:

The King
on the application of
(1) ALW
(2) JLW
(Claimants)

-v-

London Borough of Hackney
(Defendant)

Order

On an application by the Claimant for an anonymity order.

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY MARCUS PILGERSTORFER KC, DEPUTY HIGH COURT JUDGE

  1. Anonymity:

(a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and/or s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998: 

(i) the Claimants’ names and those of their children are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and 

(ii) the Claimants are to be referred to orally and in writing as ALW (First Claimant) and JLW (Second Claimant) and their children as C1 and C2. 

(b) Pursuant to s.11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must  be no publication of the identity of the Claimants or their children or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimants or their children in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings. 

(c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):

(i) the parties must within 7 days file a redacted copy of any statement of case filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimants or their children; 

(ii) if any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimants or their children, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time; 

(iii) unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non-party many obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case. 

(d) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party. 

(e) 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 

REASONS

(1) Anonymity: An anonymity order is sought to protect the identity of the Claimants’ children (and, in order to ensure that is effective) the Claimants themselves. The claim will require consideration of sensitive personal information concerning the Claimants’ family, including importantly details of the disabilities of the children and their particular needs. That engages the Claimants’ and their children’s rights to privacy. I must balance these matters against the strong public interest in open justice. The anonymity sought in these proceedings is, however, a limited derogation from the open justice principle: it would only anonymise the Claimants’ names, and those of the children. In all the circumstances I am satisfied, having conducted the balancing exercise, that there are compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the open justice principle, and it is necessary to grant anonymity as set out in this order.  

Signed: Marcus Pilgerstorfer KC, DHCJ
Date: 21 November 2025