MN and MXN -v- Hampshire County Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2026-LON-002991

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

29 June 2026

Before:

Mrs Justice Lieven

Between:

The King
on the application of
MN
MXN
(by their mother and litigation friend, CM)
(Claimants)

-v-

Hampshire County Council
(Defendant)

and

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
(Interested Party)

Order

On an application by the Claimant for interim relief

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant and the Defendant and Interested Party’s pre-action protocol responses

ORDER BY THE HON. MRS JUSTICE LIEVEN

  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 Claimants’ names and that of their mother to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and

(ii) the Claimants are to be referred to orally and in writing as MN, MXN and CM.

(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.

  1. Mandatory order: No order is made in respect of interim relief
  2. Abridgement of time and expedition:

(a) The Defendant’s Acknowledgement of Service (CPR 54.8) must be filed and served by 4pm on 1 July 2026

(b) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A) must be filed and served by 2 July 2026.

(c) The papers are to be referred to a judge or deputy judge immediately thereafter to determine whether interim relief should be granted.

  1. Costs reserved

REASONS

(1) Anonymity: [The Claimant is an asylum seeker. There is evidence that naming the Claimant and/or members of his family 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) Mandatory injunction: The evidence appears to suggest that the Claimants and their mother could return to live with the Wigmores, or could be supported in their accommodation for a few more days. In my view the evidence is not sufficiently clear as to justify making an ex parte interim injunction.

(3) I have therefore ordered a highly expedited timetable so that the matter can be reconsidered by a judge on Friday, with the benefit of the Defendant’s Response.

(4) The Defendant is fully aware of its Children Act 1989 duties if the position changes.

Signed: MRS JUSTICE LIEVEN
Date: 29 JUNE 2026