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.

The victim became a ‘recluse’ after the assault, the court heard

The victim read her victim impact statement to the court, in which she described how she had since installed security cameras and lighting around her home.

She told the court she had lost significant weight, become a ‘recluse’, was unable to work for eight months and that the concussion had affected her problem-solving and decision-making skills.

The woman said Judge Geason’s transgression caused her to lose faith in the justice system.

Another of Judge Geason’s counsel, Tom Percy KC, had put forward a defense based on the victim’s alcohol consumption and inability to remember events, including the claim that she had instead tripped and fallen on a table, in instead of being pushed.

Magistrate Wakeling rejected this argument.

The victim told the court she was “portrayed as the woman who walks through doors”, referring to a character from a novel based on domestic violence.

Geason showed a “lack of remorse,” the court said

Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates SC told the court that Judge Geason’s behavior was a “serious example of a common assault”.

He said it involved numerous uses of force, was motivated by jealousy and a “desire to control the complainant”, and resulted in extensive bruising and a concussion.

A man in a fawn-colored coat smiles at the camera. — Judge Geason acted out of jealousy, the prosecutor said. (ABC News: Jake Grant)

Mr Coates said there was no evidence of remorse.

“Not only is there no evidence of remorse, but there is a lack of remorse,” he told the court.

“When the assault took place and the complainant stated that he had asked for help, the suspect replied ‘you are angry, you have tripped’.

“The next morning, when the suspect saw the extensive bruising, he told her that she bruised easily, that she needed to put on a jacket, and that the suspect went to work.”

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

Mr Coates SC told the court that a prison sentence – immediate or conditional – could be considered by the court.

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