Tasmanian judge Gregory Geason wants to resign pending sentencing for assault and emotional abuse

Judge Gregory Geason will step down as a Tasmanian Supreme Court judge after being found guilty of assault and emotional abuse and pleading guilty to breaching a domestic violence order.

He appeared at a sentencing hearing in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where his counsel, Fabiano Cangelosi, confirmed the judge’s decision to resign “at short notice”.

He was found guilty of the two charges last month after a lengthy hearing, after which presiding Victorian magistrate Susan Wakeling described Judge Geason’s account of events as “contrived and implausible”.

He will be sentenced later this week.

Judge Geason was found to have grabbed a woman, shook her, punched her chest and pushed her, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on a mantelpiece, causing bruising and concussions.

He also subjected her to emotional abuse through multiple instances of “cruel” insults, and by monitoring her movements using technology.

Gregory Geason on cell phone outside court. — After assaulting and emotionally abusing a woman, Judge Geason “lost everything,” his defense counsel says. (ABC News: Jake Grant)

Mr Cangelosi told the court Judge Geason’s decision to resign was based on the likelihood that Tasmania’s parliament would vote to impeach him, as well as on moral grounds.

“The defendant also believes that he has lost the moral authority necessary for a judicial officer to judge other people,” he said.

‘As a High Court judge, he often had to deal with people coming before him on charges of family violence offences, accused of breaching domestic violence orders.

“He doesn’t have the moral authority to stay put.”

He pleaded guilty in New South Wales Local Court last week to one charge of breaching a domestic violence order and will be sentenced for that offense next month.

Full judge’s salary for Geason

Judge Gregory Geason looks off camera. — Judge Gregory Geason never resigned from the Supreme Court, despite being charged. But he promised not to hear any cases. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)

Since he was charged with the crimes last December, Judge Geason has remained a full-salary judge — with a salary of about $500,000 — while pledging not to hear any cases.

The government at the time foreshadowed attempts to suspend him, first through a commission of inquiry into the case and then through a motion in parliament, but both attempts were abandoned when Judge Geason’s legal adviser raised constitutional concerns.

Mr Cangelosi said these constitutional issues had been settled by the finding of guilt, and the impending introduction of judicial commissions in Tasmania also made it inevitable that Judge Geason would be removed as a judge.

“This man has lost everything,” Cangelosi told the court.

“The destruction of his public image and professional life is total.”

House of Lords MLC Ruth Forrest planned to debate an adjournment motion next week.

The government’s judicial commissions bill was passed by the Senate with amendments and still needs the support of the House of Representatives.

Judge Geason will be sentenced in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates SC told the court that a prison sentence – immediate or conditional – could be considered by the court.

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