AXN -v- Slough Borough Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2023-LON-003020

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

2 November 2023

Before:

Robert Palmer KC (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge)

Between:

The King on the application of
AXN (by his Litigation Friend Joshua Singer)

-v-

Slough Borough Council

Anonymity Order

On an application by the Claimant for directions for an expedited hearing of the application for permission and interim relief
Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant and correspondence from the Defendant
ORDER by ROBERT PALMER KC (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge)

Anonymity

  1. Until further order:
    a. There be substituted for all purposes in this claim, in place of reference to the Claimant by name, and whether orally or in writing, reference to the letters “AXN”.
    b. The Court file is to be retained by the Court and marked ‘Anonymised’. Pursuant to CPR rule 5.4C, a person who is not a party to these proceedings may obtain a copy of the pleadings, a Judgment or Order from the Court records only if the pleadings, Judgment or Order has been anonymised such that the Claimant is referred to as AXN.
    c. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4), reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent identification of the Claimant. In particular, disclosure of the Claimant’s name or address is prohibited.

Directions

  1. The Defendant shall file and serve its Acknowledgement of Service, Summary Grounds of Defence and its response to the application for interim relief by 4pm on 9 November 2023.
  2. The Claimant shall file and serve his skeleton argument by 4pm on 14 November 2023.
  3. The Defendant shall file and serve its skeleton argument by 16 November 2023.
  4. The applications for permission and for interim relief are to be listed for an inter partes hearing on 21 November 2023, with a time estimate of 2.5 hours.
  5. Costs reserved.

Reasons

  1. Anonymity appears necessary at present given that the Claimant claims to be a child, but that question can be revisited at the hearing if not justified.
  2. It is appropriate to make these directions for permission and interim relief to be dealt with expeditiously. Both parties are in agreement as to the timescale within which the case should be progressed.