ST -v- London Borough of Lambeth Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-004244

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

In the matter of an application for judicial review

5 December 2025

Before:

Susie Alegre,
sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court

Between:

The King
on the application of
ST

-v-

London Borough of Lambeth Council

Order

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

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY Susie Alegre 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 s. 6 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 ST. Her dependants are to be referred to as MT and HT. 

(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. Urgent Interim Relief

(a) Within 48 hours of receipt of this order, the Defendant is to secure suitable accommodation for the Claimant and her children as soon as possible but in any event no later than 48 hours after this order is received, and until further order. 

(b) The parties may apply to vary or discharge paragraph 2(a) above with any such application to be served on each party. 

REASONS

(1) Anonymity: The Claimant is a refugee with two child dependents. There is evidence that naming the Claimant and her dependents will increase the risk they would face if returned to their country of origin. I am satisfied that anonymity is required for the proper administration of justice and to protect the interests of the Claimant and her dependants. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1. 

(2) Urgent Interim Relief: The grounds for the judicial review claim in this case are strong. The balance of convenience on the facts favours the grant of urgent interim relief to provide housing to the Claimant and her dependents. The welfare of the two children is at stake, they are currently housed in hostile and arguably unsafe conditions. The need to protect the children in the home is placing an undue burden on the Claimant as she is unable to continue working because of the current situation means she has to stay home to protect her children. The duty under section 188(1) is an inherently temporary and immediate, non-deferrable, unqualified duty, which it appears would be illusory for the Claimant without an order from the court for interim relief in this case. These reasons outweigh the potential impact on the Defendant. The Defendant may, in any event, apply to vary or discharge the order. 

Signed: Susie Alegre DHCJ                                                          Date: 5 December 2025