BRL -v- London Borough of Southwark (injunction and anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-001655

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

23 May 2025

Before:

The Honourable Mrs Justice Lang DBE

Between:

The King

on the application of

BRL
(A child, by her Litigation Friend, Davna Decent)

-v-

London Borough of Southwark

Order

On the Claimant’s application for an anonymity order, urgent consideration, directions and interim relief;

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant;

Order by the Honourable Mrs Justice Lang DBE

  1. The Defendant shall forthwith provide the Claimant with suitable accommodation, pursuant to section 20 of the Children Act 1989, until the hearing of the permission application and the application for interim relief. For the avoidance of doubt, the Defendant must accommodate the Claimant from today, Friday 23 May 2025.
  2. The Defendant’s Acknowledgment of Service and Summary Grounds of Resistance, including a response to the application for interim relief, must be filed and served no more than 14 days after the date of service of the claim form and supporting documents.
  3. The Defendant must file and serve an indexed and paginated bundle of all relevant documents in its possession or control relating to the Claimant which are not already included in the Claimant’s bundle, no more than 14 days after the date of service of the claim form and supporting documents.
  4. Any Reply from the Claimant must be filed and served no more than 7 days after service of documents by the Defendant pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 3 above.
  5. The application for permission to apply for judicial review and the application for interim relief is to be listed for a hearing to be fixed as soon as possible after 18 June 2025. Time estimate: 3 hours.
  6. The Claimant must file and serve an agreed authorities bundle, not less than 5 days before the date of the hearing. The electronic version of the bundle shall be prepared by the Claimant in accordance with the Guidance on the Administrative Court website. The Claimant must also lodge a hard-copy version of the authorities bundle at the Administrative Court Office, not less than 5 days before the date of the hearing.
  7. The claim is to be expedited.
  8. Under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and pursuant to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR 39.2(4):
    a) The name of the Claimant is to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public.
    b) The Claimant is to be referred to orally and in writing as “BRL”.
  9. Pursuant to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
  10. Pursuant to CPR 5.4C:
    a) Within 7 days of the date of service of this order, the parties must file and serve a redacted copy of any statement of case already filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant;
    b) If any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time and must then be served with the unredacted version;
    c) Unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non- party may obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.
  11. Liberty to apply to vary or discharge this order on 2 days notice to the other party.
  12. Costs reserved.

THIS IS AN INJUNCTION. BREACH OF PARAGRAPH 1 OF THIS ORDER MAY GIVE RISE TO CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS. EVEN IF AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN MADE TO VARY OR DISCHARGE THIS ORDER, IT MUST BE COMPLIED WITH UNLESS OR UNTIL SUCH AN ORDER IS MADE.

Reasons

  1. I have granted an anonymity order because the Claimant is a minor aged 17.
  2. There is a long history of domestic abuse in the Claimant’s family home and involvement of social services. The Claimant has been told to leave her temporary alternative accommodation today and will be homeless unless the Defendant provides accommodation. This is a temporary order, intended to ensure the Claimant’s safety while the legal process takes its course. The Defendant will have a full opportunity to explain to the Court why it does not consider it appropriate to accommodate her, in its written response and at the forthcoming hearing.

Signed: Mrs Justice Lang
Dated: 23 May 2025