SPQ -v- Cheshire East Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-MAN-000586

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

18 December 2025

Before:

The Hon. Mrs Justice Hill DBE

Between:

The King
on the application of
SPQ

-v-

Cheshire East Council

Order

ON CONSIDERING an application by the Claimant dated 10 December 2025 for anonymity and various other matters (“the application”) included in a claim form bundle issued on 18 December 2025

AND UPON there being no evidence on the court file as at 5 pm on 18 December 2025 that the Defendant had been served with the application or the claim

ORDER by the Hon. Mrs Justice Hill DBE:

  1. Anonymity:

(a) Under the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and pursuant to s.6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:

(i) the name of the Claimant 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 “SPQ”.

(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 either of him in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.

(c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):

(i) the Claimant must within 7 days file and serve a redacted copy of the claim form, 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 and must then be served with the unredacted version;

(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. The Court’s CE-file system shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 18 December 2025 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that order”.
  2. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5) and the Practice Guidance: Publication of Privacy and Anonymity Orders dated 16 April 2019 a copy of this order shall be published on the Judicial Website of the High Court of Justice (www.judiciary.uk). For that purpose, a court officer will send a copy of the order by email to the Judicial Office at judicialwebupdates@judiciary.uk.
  3. Litigation Friend, disclosure and abridgement of time:

(a) Pursuant to CPR 21.2(3) the need for the Claimant to conduct this claim with the assistance of a Litigation Friend is dispensed with.

(b) The Claimant shall serve the claim form and bundle including the application by 4pm on 22 December 2025.

(c) The Defendant shall disclose the age assessment decision regarding the Claimant to the Claimant’s solicitor by 4pm on 24 December 2025.

(d) The Defendant shall file and serve its Acknowledgement of Service (CPR 54.8) by 4pm on 5 January 2026.

(e) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A) must be filed and served by 4pm on 8 January 2026.

(f) The papers shall be placed before a Judge of the Administrative Court on 12 January 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter for determination of the issue of permission.

  1. Liberty to either party to apply to vary or discharge this order upon 48 hours’ notice of the intention to do so to the other party.
  2. Costs reserved.

REASONS

  1. Anonymity: The Claimant is a 17-year-old, unaccompanied, asylum-seeking child who is presently treated as an adult but is on his case in need of services under the Children Act 1989. The case involves the private life of an asylum seeker and putative child. The case can be fully reported without the Claimant being named. Accordingly, there are compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice made by granting anonymity and the other provisions herein.
  2. Litigation Friend: It is understood that the Claimant is sufficiently mature to be able to give instructions and understand legal advice. It is not uncommon in cases of this nature for the need for a Litigation Friend to be dispensed with.
  3. Disclosure: There is no good reason I can identify why, consistent with the duty of candour, the age assessment decision should not be disclosed by the Defendant. The same is plainly a crucial document in this claim.
  4. Abridgement of time: This case involves the treatment of a putative child as an adult and thus the denial to him of services that he contends he should be receiving as a child. A degree of expedition is therefore appropriate. That said, the court must permit the Defendant a fair opportunity to respond and make some realistic allowance for the upcoming holiday period. The above timetable seeks to do that.
  5. Liberty to apply: Although this order was made without giving the Defendant the opportunity to make representations on the application, experience dictates that the orders granting anonymity and dispensing with the need for a Litigation Friend are often unopposed in cases of this nature. If the Defendant does object to these orders, or the other orders providing for disclosure and an abridgment of time, its position is protected by the liberty to apply provision.

Signed: Mrs Justice Hill DBE
Dated: 18 December 2025