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

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-004516

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

15 December 2025

Before:

The Hon. Mrs Justice Heather Williams DBE

Between:

The King
on the application of
ERH

-v-

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Order

On an application by the Claimant for urgent consideration, interim relief and directions

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER by the Hon. Mrs Justice Heather Williams DBE:

  1. Anonymity:

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

(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 “ERH”.

(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) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):

(i) the parties must within 7 days 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;

(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 and must then be served with the unredacted version;

(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.

  1. Timetable for submissions and a hearing on interim relief:

(a) The Claimant’s application for interim relief requiring the Defendant to refrain from removing him to France pending determination of his claim for judicial review is listed for an oral hearing at 10:30am on Wednesday 17 December 2025, time estimate 2 hours.

(b) If the Defendant contests the interim relief sought, she is to file and serve a response to the application for interim relief by 4pm on Tuesday 16 December 2025.

(c) The Claimant may file and serve a reply to that response, if so advised, by 9am on Wednesday 17 December 2025.

REASONS

Anonymity: I am satisfied from the Claimant’s written submissions on this topic, particularly that he is an alleged victim of trafficking and the circumstances relating to the same, that there is clear and cogent evidence rendering it necessary to derogate from the fundamental principle of open justice and to grant him anonymity in this case. I have borne in mind the Claimant’s rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the strong presumption of open justice and Article 10 ECHR. The derogation set out above is no more than is necessary in the circumstances.

Timetable for submissions and hearing: I agree that an oral hearing should be listed, for the reasons identified by the Claimant. I accept that 2 hours is a realistic time estimate in all the circumstances.
As the Defendant has not, as yet, responded substantively to the two Pre-Action Protocol letters of 8 and 12 December 2025 or to this application for interim relief , I have directed that a response be provided to the Claimant and to the Court by 4pm tomorrow.
The parties are expected to co-operate in agreeing a joint bundle of authorities for the hearing (if authorities beyond those contained in the Claimant’s Permission Bundle are relied upon).

Signed: Mrs Justice Heather Williams DBE
Dated: 15/12/25