Tasmanian Supreme Court Judge Gregory Geason has confirmed his impending resignation, after being found guilty of assault and emotional abuse locally, as well as a guilty plea to breaching a family violence order in NSW.
Geason appeared in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Tuesday for a sentencing submissions hearing, where his lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi confirmed his decision to step down as judge, according to the ABC.
Since being charged with the offences in December last year, Geason has remained a judge on full pay while undertaking not to hear any cases.
Geason, who is paid an annual salary of around $500,000, was found guilty of the charges last month.
According to the court’s findings, Geason grabbed a woman, shook her, punched her chest and pushed her, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on a mantelpiece, resulting in bruising and concussion.
He also subjected her to emotional abuse through repeated “vicious” insults while using technology to track her movements.
The ABC reported that Cangelosi told the court Geason’s decision to resign was motivated by the likelihood of his removal by the Tasmanian Parliament – along with moral reasons.
“The defendant also considers that he has lost the moral authority that is necessary for any judicial officer to sit in judgement over other human beings,” he said.
“As a judge of the Supreme Court he often dealt with people who came before him charged with family violence offences, charged with breaching family violence orders. He does not have that moral authority to continue sitting.”
Geason will be sentenced in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Thursday.
