Administrator of Courts apologises after media denied entry to Justice Geason court hearing

The administrator of courts has apologised after media were not allowed to sit in on Justice Geason’s court appearance. Why journalists were locked out.

New Supreme Court judge Gregory Geason swearing in ceremony in the Supreme Court in Hobart in 2017. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

The administrator of courts has apologised for barring the media from a court sitting where a judge was charged with assault and emotional abuse.

In a statement issued on Saturday afternoon Yolanda Prenc said she acknowledged “the strong public and media interest in the appearance of Justice Geason” in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday night.

“I apologise that the media were not able to access the Court to view proceedings as they would rightly expect to be able to,” Ms Prenc said.

“This was the result of a decision made in unusual and unprecedented circumstances.

“The Magistrates Court remains committed to providing open access to Court proceedings including access to after-hours courts.”

Ms Prenc said a copy of the audio recording of the proceedings has been provided to those media representatives who attended but were unable to access the court.

Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason, 62, appeared in an out-of-hours court hearing at the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday night.

He pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault and one count of emotional abuse.

Justice Geason was granted bail and the case was adjourned until February 6.

When asked earlier about access to the courts, Attorney-General Guy Barnett said: “The management of the courts is a matter for the courts.”

Law Society of Tasmania president Julia Higgins was guarded in her response about media access to the court.

“I can say that in relation to Justice Geason, the Law Society cannot comment on any active matter before the court,” she said.

“The Law society has received no information as to limited access to the court.”

A Supreme Court spokeswoman said an arrangement was made several weeks ago that Justice Geason “would not sit until further notice”.

“That arrangement is still in place,” she said.

Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason charged with assault and emotional abuse

Initial 3:30pm, updated 9:20pm

Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason has become the first Tasmanian judge in 200 years to be charged with criminal offences.

The Department of Justice confirmed on Friday night that Justice Geason appeared in an out-of-hours sitting of the Hobart Magistrates Court, charged with one count of common assault and one count of emotional abuse.

The media was unable to gain access to the Hobart Magistrates Court complex for the sitting.

However, some details of the matter were confirmed after Justice Geason left the court, including the charges and that he was granted bail, with the matter adjourned until 10am on February 6.

In an unusual move, Justice Geason was escorted from the building by court security, away from the waiting media at the after-hours court entrance. He did not comment.

In a statement released on Friday after inquiries by the Mercury earlier in the day, a Tasmania Police spokesperson said a 62-year-old Hobart man had been arrested and charged.

“The man has been charged with one count of common assault, as well as one count of emotional abuse,” a Tasmania Police spokesperson said.

Supreme Court of Tasmania Justice Gregory Geason

On November 2, Attorney-General Guy Barnett issued a three-line media release announcing a justice had been asked to take leave.

It did not name the judge, the nature of the matter, or how it would be resolved.

The Supreme Court has made no comment.

“Today I met with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in relation to a significant matter involving a judge,” Mr Barnett said at the time.

Minister Guy Barnett. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The Chief Justice has asked the judge to take leave until further notice.”

Justice Geason, who was best man at former premier Will Hodgman’s wedding, was appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 2017.

At the time of his appointment, he was hailed as having 30 years of experience in civil and criminal matters in state and federal courts.

“The court will have before it the unfortunate and the fortunate, the powerful and the weak, the strong and the broken,” Justice Geason said at his swearing-in.

“I will do my best to live up to your expectations of me.”

A Supreme Court judge can only be suspended or removed from office by the Governor on an address from both houses of parliament seeking such suspension or removal on the grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity.

Justice Geason was counselled by the Chief Justice in 2021 after he was seen kissing a female associate in a Hobart nightclub.

The Supreme Court also confirmed that Chief Justice Alan Blow had counselled the judge in relation to the 2021 allegations concerning his behaviour, stating further steps may be taken “depending on what he considers appropriate”.

No findings have been made against Justice Geason in that matter.