UO -v- The London Borough of Redbridge (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtCivilHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: CO/00153/2023

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

19 January 2023

Before:

Mr Justice Julian Knowles

Between:

The King on the application of
UO

-v-

The London Borough of Redbridge


Order

UPON considering the Claimant’s Statement of Facts and Grounds dated 12 January 2023, the witness statement of the Claimant dated 12 January 2023 and Ms Ferdinand dated 10 January 2023, and the Claimant’s applications dated 12 January 2023.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

Anonymity

  1. The Claimant shall hereinafter be referred to in these proceedings as UO and the names of her children shall not be referred to.
  2. Pursuant to CPR r. 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of the proceedings the names of the Claimant or her children, or any details leading to their identification; and the Claimant and her children, if referred to, shall only be referred to as UO, LO, JO and AO.
  3. Pursuant to CPR r. 5.4C, a person who is not party to the proceedings may obtain a copy of a statement of case, judgment or order from the court records only if the statement of case, judgment or order has been anonymised such that: (a) the Claimant and her children are referred to in those documents only as UO, LO, JO and AO; and (b) any reference to the names of the Claimant and her children are deleted from these documents.

Expedition

  1. The Defendant shall file and service its Acknowledgement of Service (‘AOS’) not later than 26 January 2023.
  2. Upon receipt of the AOS, or the date upon which it is due, whichever is sooner, the papers should be passed to a judge as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter for a permission decision.

Other

  1. L.iberty to apply
  2. Costs reserved.

Reasons

  1. This matter has come before me as an immediate even though no N463 has been completed seeking urgent consideration (it should have been). However, given children are involved, I am prepared to consider it on an urgent basis.
  2. I am prepared to grant anonymity and to abridge time for the service of the AOS. Beyond that I am not prepared to go at this stage.
  3. If the Council wish to challenge the expedition order then they have leave to do so.
  4. Given the interests of the children I am prepared to grant anonymity.
  5. I am not prepared to grant an order for disclosure without the Council first having had the change to respond. The Claimant should ask the Council in correspondence first for disclosure.