MPs scramble to sack judge Gregory Geason after guilty verdict on emotional abuse, assault of fiance

MPs are scrambling to sack a judge found by a court to have assaulted and emotionally abused his then-fiance, amid anger Justice Gregory Geason continues to collect a $540,000 salary.

Justice Gregory Geason arrives Hobart Magistrates Court. Picture: Chris Kidd

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Tasmania’s parliament is scrambling to pass new laws allowing it to sack judges after a Supreme Court justice was found guilty of assaulting and emotionally abusing his former fiance.

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Wednesday said new legislation setting up a system to investigate, suspend and remove judges would be debated urgently, after Justice Gregory Geason’s guilty verdict.

“That legislation will be debated over the … the next 24 hours,” Mr Rockliff said. “Only parliament can remove a judge.”

Labor leader Dean Winter said Justice Geason should “resign immediately” or be urgently removed by parliament.

“Let’s get this disgraced judge out of our judicial system as quickly as possible,” Mr Winter said. “Domestic violence is real and it was perpetrated by Justice Geason.”

Mr Winter accused the government – which aborted an attempt to suspend Justice Geason in December 2023, after the judge’s lawyers threatened High Court action – of dithering.

“Over the course of the past 12 months, Justice Geason has been paid more than $500,000 by Tasmanian taxpayers whilst he has been accused of the most shocking of offenses,” Mr Winter said.

Justice Geason, 63, would not comment on the calls for his resignation and sacking, nor on whether he would appeal the guilty verdict. Legal sources suggested an appeal in such circumstances was likely.

A magistrate on Wednesday found Justice Geason had flown into a jealous rage, shaking, striking and pushing his fiancé, causing her to hit her head, and that he exercised coercive and controlling behaviour.

Victorian Deputy Chief Magistrate Susan Wakeling, hearing the case because Justice Geason is known to all local magistrates, found him guilty of one count of emotional abuse or intimidation and of one count of assault.

His accuser, whose name has been suppressed, told the court during the trial that Justice Geason flew into a “rage” on October 31, 2023 after she received a “silly” selfie from a male colleague.

She alleged Justice Geason held her “very, very tightly” by the arms, punched her six to eight times in the chest and caused her to “fly” backwards, injuring her head.

Canberra-based forensics expert Vanita Parekh told the court extensive bruises on the woman suggested “multiple applications of blunt force”.

Dr Parekh gave evidence that some bruises were in protected areas of the body and were “very likely to have been the result of an assault”.

In handing down her verdict, Ms Wakeling accepted this evidence, describing Dr Parekh as “an impressive witness”.

Justice Gregory Geason. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Wakeling also accepted the complainant’s evidence as “truthful” and rejected Justice Geason’s version of the altercation.

Justice Geason, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, told the trial there were “no punches”, no force and no pushing. Instead, he said the woman bent towards him as he was seated and he put up an “open hand”.

He told the court the woman was at the time “affected by alcohol” and had walked away but then stumbled and fell, hitting the back of her head on a table.

“The accused cannot be relied upon to give an honest and reliable account of events,” Ms Wakeling found.

The court heard the couple had a “whirlwind” relationship for just over six months in 2023. The prosecution alleged Justice Geason had used mobile phone apps to track the woman and had been jealous of other men and controlling in his behaviour.

Justice Geason, who joined the bench in late 2016, told the court the woman willingly consented to the two being able to track each other and denied any controlling or abusive behaviour.

However, Ms Wakeling accepted much of the complainant’s evidence. “I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that these events form a pattern of conduct, coercive of the complainant’s will and controlling,” she said.

Ms Wakeling extended Justice Geason’s bail to November 12, when she will hear sentencing submissions, and ordered an assessment of options for a community corrections order, including family violence programs.