EFK -v- The Director of Public Prosecutions (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2024-LON-003746

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

20 August 2025

Before:

The Hon. Mr Justice Chamberlain

Between:

The King on the application of
EFK

-v-

The Director of Public Prosecutions

and

HM Revenue and Customs

Entain Plc

Order

UPON reading:
(1) the Claimant’s claim for judicial review filed on 12 November 2024;
(2) Acknowledgements of Service and Summary Grounds of Defence of the Defendant (dated 5 December 2024) and Second Interested Party (dated 4 December 2024);
(3) The Claimant’s Reply (dated 9 December 2025);
(4) the Amended Confidential Bundle (filed on 14 April 2025);
(5) the Acknowledgment of Service and Summary Grounds of Defence of the First Interested Party (dated 8 May 2025);
(6) the Courts’ Orders of 16 April 2025 and 23 July 2025;

IT IS ORDERED as follows:

  1. Anonymity:
    (a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction:
    (i) the Claimant’s name is 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 EFK.
    (b) Pursuant to s. 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.
    (c) Any application to vary or discharge paragraphs (a) or (b) above must be made on notice to the parties.
  2. Permission:
    (a) The application for permission to apply for judicial review is adjourned to be determined after a hearing.
    (b) The permission hearing is to be listed with a time estimate of 3 hours, including submissions by the parties and an oral judgment by the judge. If the Claimant considers that more time should be allowed, the time estimate must be included with the request for reconsideration of permission.
    (c) Within 21 days of the service of this Order, the Claimant must file and serve an electronic copy of the Permission Hearing Bundle, prepared in accordance with the guidance on the Administrative Court website and containing the following documents:
    (i) the Claim Form, Statement of Facts and Grounds and any evidence or other documents filed with the Claim Form;
    (ii) any Acknowledgment of Service, Summary Grounds of Defence and any accompanying documents served by any Defendant and/or Interested Party;
    (iii) any Reply or other document served by any party to the proceedings at the paper permission stage;
    (iv) this Order;
    (v) any other document the Court would be likely to consider material to its decision on permission to apply for judicial review.
  3. At least 7 days before the date listed for the hearing, the Claimant must file and serve:
    (a) a skeleton argument, maximum 10 pages;
    (b) an electronic bundle containing any authorities which the Court needs to read at the hearing (the Authorities Bundle: see para. 22.1.2 of the Administrative Court Judicial Review Guide); and
    (c) if requested by the Court, a hard copy version of the Permission Hearing Bundle and Authorities Bundles.
  4. At least 7 days before the date listed for the hearing, any party other than the Claimant intending to participate in the hearing must file and serve any skeleton argument, maximum 10 pages.
  5. If a party fails to comply with sub-paragraph (b), (d) and/or (e), the Court may have regard to the failure when considering any question about costs at the hearing.

Reasons

(1) There are proper grounds for ordering the Claimant’s anonymity at this stage.
(2) The claim is procedurally complex and permission would be better determined after a hearing.