CHX -v- Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-000266

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

29 August 2025

Before:

HHJ Richard Williams
sitting as a Judge of the High Court

Between:

The King
on the application of
CHX
(Claimant)

-v-

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
(Defendant)

and

CHC
(Interested Party)

Order

On an application by the Claimant for urgent consideration

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER by HHJ Richard Williams sitting as a Judge of the High Court

  1. Anonymity:

(a) Under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and pursuant to s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:

(i) the names of the Claimant, the Interested Party, and their children (“the Family”) are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and

(ii) the Claimant is to be referred to orally and in writing as “CHX”.

(iii) the Interested Party is to be referred to orally and in writing as “CHC”.

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

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

(i) 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;

(ii) 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 part of the Order must make an application, served on each party.

  1. Expedition:

(a) The Claimant’s application for urgent consideration is refused.

REASONS

Anonymity: The claim concerns decisions made in connection with children, who are minors. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1 of this order.

Expedition: The date of the decision being challenged is given as 30 May 2025, but the claim was not issued until 27 August 2025. I am not persuaded that the matter is so urgent that it would be fair to deprive the Defendant of being given the proper opportunity of responding to the claim (within 21 days of the claim being sent to them) and before the Court considers whether permission to continue the claim ought to be granted. If the judge subsequently grants permission, consideration can then be given to whether it is appropriate to expedite the listing of the final hearing.

Signed: HHJ Richard Williams
Dated: 29 August 2025