ERC -v- The Secretary of State for the Home Department (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2025-MAN-000326

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

21 July 2025

Before:

His Honour Judge Pearce
sitting as a Judge of the High Court

Between:

The King
On the application of
ERC

-v-

The Secretary of State for the Home Department

Order

UPON reading the Claim Form including the Claimant’s claim for anonymity

IT IS ORDERED that:

  1. The Claimant’s name shall be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any hearing of this claim in open court.
  2. There shall be substituted for all purposes in these proceedings in place of references to the Claimant by name, and whether orally or in writing, references to the letters ERC.
  3. Pursuant to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and CPR Rule 39.2(4), there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
  4. Pursuant to CPR 5.4C:
    a. The parties must, when filing any statement of case, also file a redacted copy of the statement of case omitting the name, address and any other information which could lead to the identification of the Claimant;
    b. Unless the Court grants permission no non-party may obtain an unredacted copy of any statement of case or any other document which would identify the Claimant and any application for permission must be made on notice to the parties.
  5. There be permission to any person to apply to vary or set aside this order.

REASONS

  1. The Claimant’s Claim Form makes out an arguable case that the public interest in his identity remaining anonymous outweighs any interest in the publishing material that identifies him.
  2. In order to maintain the right to challenge this finding, there is a general liberty to apply to set aside or vary this order.

Signed:
HHJ Pearce,
Specialist Circuit Judge
Manchester Civil Justice Centre