CBL -v- Secretary of State for Defence (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2025-LON-002565

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

7 August 2025

Before:

The Hon Mr Justice Chamberlain

Between:

The King on the application of
CBL

-v-

Secretary of State for Defence

Order

On an application by the Claimant for anonymity, expedition and other directions

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY THE HON. MR JUSTICE CHAMBERLAIN

  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 names of the Claimant and his wife are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public;
    (ii) the Claimant and his wife are to be referred to orally and in writing as follows: CBL (the Claimant) and CMO (the Claimant’s wife);
    (iii) the names of the family members set out at paragraph 11 of the pre-action letter dated 11 July 2025 are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public.
    (b) Pursuant to s. 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or his wife or of any matter likely to lead to their identification 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 Claimant;
    (ii) 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;
    (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.
  2. Application for abridgement of time and expedition:
    (a) The Claimant’s application for abridgement of time for filing of the AoS is refused.
    (b) However, the papers are to be referred to the Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court or a judge nominated by him as soon as possible after the latest date for the filing of a Reply.
  3. Liberty to apply: The parties have liberty to apply. Any such application is reserved to the Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court of a Judge nominated by him.
  4. Costs: Costs reserved.

Reasons

The claim should be determined quickly, but the abridgment sought is not justified given the security assessments which occasioned the discharge of the super-injunction and the need to ensure that the Defendant has a proper time to consider its response