HNB -v- Hampshire County Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-001367

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

25 March 2026

Before:

The Honourable Mrs Justice Lang DBE

Between:

THE KING on the application of
HNB

-v-

Hampshire County Council

Order

On the Claimant’s application for an anonymity order, urgent consideration, directions and interim relief;

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant;

Order by the Honourable Mrs Justice Lang DBE

  1. Under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and pursuant to section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR 39.2(4):
    a. The names of the Claimant and his brother are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public.
    b. The Claimant is to be referred to orally and in writing as “HNB” and his brother is to be referred to as HNB2.
  2. Pursuant to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the Claimant or his brother or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant or his brother in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
  3. Pursuant to CPR 5.4C:
    a. Within 7 days of the date of service of this order, the parties must 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 and his brother;
    b. If any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the Claimant or his brother, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time and must then be served with the unredacted version;
    c. Unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non party may obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.
  4. The claim is to be expedited.
  5. The Defendant’s Acknowledgment of Service and Summary Grounds of Resistance, including a response to the application for interim relief, must be filed and served no later than 14 days after the date of service of the claim form and supporting documents.
  6. Any Reply from the Claimant must be filed and served no more than 7 days after service of documents by the Defendant pursuant to paragraph 5 above.
  7. The papers are to be referred to a Judge for a decision whether to grant permission to apply for judicial review and interim relief, no more than 7 days after the expiry of time for filing a Reply.
  8. Liberty to apply to vary or discharge this order on 2 days notice to the other party.
  9. Costs reserved

Reasons

  1. I have granted an anonymity order. The Claimant and his brother are asylum seekers who claim to be at risk. His brother is not a party but he is identified in the case papers. In the circumstances, a departure from the general principle of open justice is justified.
  2. The Claimant, a national of Afghanistan, claims that his date of birth is 2 December 2007, and that he is presently 18 years old. When he entered the UK with his brother on 18 June 2023, he was accepted as a child and placed in the Defendant’s care, in a foster placement. He attended school, then college, and made good progress.
  3. But on 2 January 2026, the Defendant assessed his age as 24 and his date of birth as 1 January 2002. He was removed from his foster placement and put into adult asylum accommodation. He is no longer eligible for local authority support for care leavers. His mental health has declined. Therefore the legality of the recent age assessment needs to be determined as soon as reasonably possible. I have granted expedition and made directions accordingly.