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

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC/2025/LON/000439

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

14 April 2025

Before:

Judge Plimmer
sitting as a Judge of the High Court

The King
on the application of
MAC

-v-

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Order

On an application on behalf of the Claimant

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant to proceed without a litigation friend

ORDER by Judge Plimmer sitting as a Judge of the High Court

(1) The application to permit conduct of proceedings without a litigation friend
is refused.

(2) Within 14 days the Claimant shall clarify the position regarding their
litigation friend.

(3) The Claimant shall be referred to as “MAC”. This order prohibits the publication directly or indirectly (including by the parties) of the identity of the Claimant. There shall be no publication of their name or address(es) or any other particulars or still or moving image likely to lead to their identification, without leave of the court. Any such publication in breach of this order may amount to a contempt of court. Pursuant to CPR 5.4C, no documents containing information that could identify the Claimant shall be supplied from court records to persons who are not parties to the action. This order shall remain in force unless revoked or varied by a court.

(4) Costs reserved.

Reasons

  1. This claim has been brought with no litigation friend appointed. The Claimant turned one years old in March 2025, and is therefore a very young child.
  2. The Claimant’s statement of grounds make the application under CPR 21.2(3) for an order permitting the conduct of proceedings without a litigation friend, yet the grounds contain no explanation of why such an order is sought or why it should be granted. There is no explanation as to why those claiming to be the Claimant’s parents have not been prepared to act as a litigation friend in accordance with the procedure in CPR 21.5. There is no indication of who is conducting the litigation and who has given instructions for the claim to be brought, nor any statement that whoever is conducting proceedings is suitable to act as a litigation friend in accordance with CPR 21.4(3).
  3. There is no formal application for anonymity but the Claimant is a child and an anonymity order is necessary to protect their interests.

Signed: Judge Plimmer

Dated: 14 April 2025