John McInnes, long-term public defender, named as new magistrate in Southport

A respected and long-term Legal Aid barrister will take a position at the bench in Southport after being appointed as a magistrate. 

Legal Aid barrister John McInnes has been appointed as a Magistrate in Southport.

RESPECTED and long-term Legal Aid barrister John McInnes will take a position at the bench in Southport after being appointed as a magistrate. 

Mr McInnes, who has been in-house counsel for Legal Aid for more than 23 years, will start as a magistrate in Southport next week. 

The long-time public defender has handled high profile cases such as a man who shook his six-month old infant and a woman who dressed-up her 9-year-old child in a Playboy outfit and sexually assaulted her.

He also acted for teenage runaway Natasha Ryan in 2006 after she was accused for causing a false police investigation after her disappearance in 1998 when she was 14.

Mr McInnes will remain in Southport until April next year when he will transfer to Bundaberg. 

When he transfers he will be replaced by Janice Crawford. 

Ms Crawford was appointed to the bench this week and will start next week in Brisbane. 

She has more than 10 years experience including at the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry in 2015, counsel assisting the Commission of Inquiry into Youth Detention and Young Prisoners in 2016, and the federal Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of people with disabilities in 2019.

Bevan Hughes has been appointed magistrate in Cairns.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman announced the appointments on Friday.

“Our three new magistrates have impeccable credentials for the role, with proven court skills,

integrity and character,” she said.

“They are a welcome addition to the outstanding group of magistrates who play such an

important part in the justice system around Queensland.”

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Originally published as John McInnes, long-term public defender, named as new magistrate in Southport