SAF -v- Reading Borough Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-00129

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

25 March 2026

Before:

Mr CMG Ockelton

Between:

The King on the application of
SAF (by her Litigation Friend)

-v-

Reading Borough Council

Order

On an application by the Claimant for urgent consideration and interim relief

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY Mr C M G Ockelton sitting as a judge of the High Court

  1. Anonymity:
    (a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and the Court’s inherent jurisdiction (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 SAF.
    (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. Litigation Friend: The claimant’s father, named in the intitulement, being a suitable person and willing to act, is appointed as her litigation friend for the purposes of these proceedings.
  3. Abridgement of time and expedition:
    (a) The Defendant’s Acknowledgement of Service and its response to the application for interim relief must be filed and served by 4pm on 30 March 2026.
    (b) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A) must be filed and served by 4pm on 31 March 2026.
    (c) The papers are to be referred to a judge immediately thereafter.
    (d) Subject to any further Order on application by the Defendant, any failure by the Defendant to comply with para 3(a) above may be taken by the Court as an indication that it does not object to the making of the Order for interim relief in accordance with the claimant’s draft or on similar terms.

Reasons

(1) Anonymity: The Claimant is a child and relies on personal and 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) Abridgement of time/expedition: The process so far is complex and it is clear that some possible grounds for dispute have arisen. It would not be right to make an order, in the terms sought or at all, without giving the defendant a proper opportunity to respond. On the other hand, the matter is time-sensitive, hence the Order at paragraph 3(d).