Judge accused of assault ‘struck, tracked’ victim
Ethan James |
A Supreme Court judge charged with assault and emotional abuse and intimidation is accused of grabbing, shaking and striking his alleged victim and tracking their movements.
Justice Gregory Geason pleaded not guilty to the two charges during an after-hours session of the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday.
He was granted bail and is expected to re-appear in court in early February.
According to court documents, the alleged emotional abuse and intimidation occurred between April and November.
Geason is accused of tracking a person’s movements using technology.
It is also alleged he coerced the person into establishing a shared phone account to gain access to their electronic records.
Geason interrogated the person about their whereabouts, details about their companions and exhibited “jealousy, rage, anger and aggression”, it is alleged.
He is accused of scrutinising their electronic devices and reviewing messages, including deleted ones.
It is also alleged Geason subjected the person to verbal abuse, made remarks about their professional and personal life and persistently yelled and screamed.
He also “demanded” they contribute $300,000 equity from their home and “pressured” them to sign the contract of a sale on a house.
Geason allegedly assaulted the person on October 31 by grabbing their arms and squeezing, shaking them and striking them with his hand.
Tasmania’s Attorney-General Guy Barnett on Tuesday decided to recall parliament next week to consider setting up a commission of inquiry into Geason.
The inquiry would subsequently report to parliament about whether Geason “should, or should not, be suspended or removed from the office of judge”.
Under the Supreme Court (Judges’ Independence) Act 1857, the governor may only suspend or remove a judge from office on address from both houses of parliament.
Mr Barnett on November 3 issued a statement saying a judge, later known to be Geason, had been asked to take leave over a “significant matter”.
Media were locked out of Geason’s Friday court appearance, prompting an apology from the courts.
Geason was appointed to the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 2017.
He was admitted to practice in 1987 and has worked as a crown prosecutor in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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AAP