Judge who assaulted fiancee avoids jail but told ‘your career is over’

A judge found guilty of assaulting and emotionally abusing his fiancee has avoided jail, but a magistrate says Gregory Geason’s 30-year legal career ‘is at an end’.

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

A judge found guilty of assaulting and emotionally abusing his ­fiancee has avoided jail, as he was instead ordered to undertake 100 hours of community service, but was told his 30-year legal career was over due to his actions.

Tasmanian Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason was found guilty in October of one count of emotional abuse or ­intimidation, and of one count of assault. Victorian Deputy Chief Magistrate Susan Wakeling on Thursday recorded convictions for both charges against Mr Geason, but did not order a term of imprisonment.

Instead, she issued a 12-month community corrections order, including 100 hours of community work, and ordered that Mr Geason, 63, must continue psychiatric or psychological treatment and “develop insight into your offending behaviour”.

In deciding against a prison term, which could have been up to three years, Ms Wakeling said she took into account that the court case had damaged Mr Geason’s reputation, career and public standing.

“Your 30 year legal career is at an end,” she said. “This is a consequence that flows directly from the findings of the court.”

Ms Wakeling said a conviction was appropriate as a vindication of the complainant, whose life had been severely impacted by Mr Geason’s offending.

Mr Geason, whose case led to new state legislation to deal with misconduct by judges, told the court he would resign from the bench, avoiding a process to remove him under that new law.

Leaving court, the former parole board chairman, now subject to directions by a probation officer, refused to say when he would resign and if he intended to appeal.

Earlier, Ms Wakeling told him his offending was “serious” and had a “profound impact” on his former partner, who told the court she had suffered an extended period without the ability to work. Mr Geason’s offending had impacted her relationships, including with her children, her social life and led to hyper-vigilance and difficulty leaving her home or answering the door.

Ms Wakeling said Mr Geason had subjected the woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, to an extended period of “unreasonably controlling or intimidating behaviour” and the assault had occurred in a “family violence context”.

“You have not demonstrated any remorse for your conduct, even after the finding of guilt,” Ms Wakeling told Mr Geason, who had pleaded not guilty to both charges.

However, Ms Wakeling noted the case and the “damaging publicity” had been “personally and professionally devastating” to the judge, who had indicated to the court he had “lost the moral authority to preside over cases”. She also noted his regret at having created distress for his parents and two children, and medical diagnoses of general anxiety disorder and major ­depression.

Extending a family violence order for three years, Ms Wakeling warned Mr Geason that failure to comply with the terms of her orders could result in the court re-sentencing him.

She had earlier found Justice Geason, appointed to the bench in 2017, flew into a jealous rage in his Hobart home on October 31, 2023, when he shook, repeatedly struck, and then pushed his fiancee, causing her to hit her head, and that he exercised coercive and controlling behaviour.

Ms Wakeling heard the case because Mr Geason was known to all Tasmanian magistrates.

Mr Geason earlier this month pleaded guilty to breaching an apprehended family violence order in NSW.