JOH -v- London Borough of Barnet (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-00207

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

16 July 2025

In the matter of an application for judicial review

Before:

Jason Beer KC, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court

Between:

The King on the application of

JOH

-v-

London Borough of Barnet

Order

On an application by the Claimant for (i) anonymity and (ii) directions for the purposes of determining the application for interim relief

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY JASON BEER KC, SITTING AS A DEPUTY JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT

  1. Anonymity:
    (a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and/or s6 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 JOH.

    (b) Pursuant to s11 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. Form JR6. Judicial Review. Miscellaneous Paper Application. Version January 2025.

    (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. Directions for the purposes of determining the application for interim relief:
    (a) By 4.30pm on Tuesday 8th July 2025, the Defendant must file and serve any submissions that it wishes to rely on in relation to the Claimant’s application for interim relief.

    (b) By 4.30pm on Friday 11th July 2025 the Claimant must file and serve any submissions that she wishes to rely on in response to the Defendant’s submissions.

    (c) The application for interim relief shall thereafter be placed before a Judge for determination on the papers.

    REASONS
    (1) Anonymity: 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 that are provided for in paragraph 1 of the Order.

    (2) Directions: The application for interim relief needs to be determined reasonably promptly. The Defendant should have an opportunity to make submissions about it (I am unwilling to consider the application for interim relief without giving the Defendant such an opportunity).