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

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2025-LON-001600

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

11 February 2026

Before:

HHJ Marquand

Between:

THE KING on the application of
HAL

-v-

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Order

On the parties having reached terms of settlement and an application by the Claimant for anonymity

UPON the Claimant filing this claim for judicial review, sealed on 20 May 2025, challenging the Defendant’s decision dated 21 February 2025 that there were no reasonable grounds that the Claimant is a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking (Reasonable Grounds Decision);

AND UPON THE STATEMENT OF REASONS RECORDING the Defendant’s recognition that reliance upon an ‘objective evidence’ threshold in Reasonable Grounds decisions has been found inconsistent with the applicable legal framework and amended accordingly;

AND UPON the Defendant further agreeing to reconsider the Reasonable Grounds Decision dated 21 February 2025 within one month of the date of the sealing of this Order, absent special circumstances, in accordance with the guidance in force at the time of that reconsideration;

AND UPON THE COURT CONCLUDING that it is appropriate to make an order in the following terms which have been agreed by the parties for the final disposal of this claim for judicial review;

ORDER BY HHJ Marquand

  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 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 HAL.
    (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 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. Resolution by Consent:
    (a) The Claimant has leave to withdraw the above-numbered application for judicial review and the claim is hereby withdrawn.
    (b) The Defendant shall pay the Claimant’s reasonable costs for bringing the above numbered application for judicial review on the standard basis, to be assessed by detailed assessment if not agreed.

Reasons

  1. Anonymity: The Claimant is a potential victim of modern slavery and an asylum seeker There is evidence that naming the Claimant will increase the risk they would face if returned to their country of origin.. The claim relies on personal medical information in which the Claimant has a reasonable expectation of privacy. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1.
  2. Resolution: The parties have signed a draft consenting to this order in similar terms.