Tasmania judge sentenced to 12-month community corrections order

A Tasmanian Supreme Court judge has been sentenced to 12 months community service for the assault and emotional abuse of a woman.

Transcript

00:00Gregory Gheeson has been sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order with 100 hours

00:07of community service. He's also required to continue psychological or psychiatric treatment

00:14to gain insight into his offending.

00:17What's your response to the sentence?

00:18I have nothing to say. I've said that.

00:21The 63-year-old was charged last year with one count each of assault and emotional abuse.

00:27Last month, an interstate magistrate found him guilty of those offences. In relation

00:31to the assault charge, he'd shaken and punched the woman in the chest, causing her to fall

00:36backwards and hit her head on a mantelpiece, leaving her with concussion and bruising.

00:42In relation to the emotional abuse charge, he'd used persistent vicious insults against

00:47her and tracked her movements using technology. The prosecution said it would be appropriate

00:52for the magistrate to give him a term of imprisonment, even if it was suspended. The

00:56defense said no conviction should be recorded, arguing the judge had already suffered significant

01:02reputational damage. The magistrate ultimately decided to record a conviction, saying the

01:07offending was serious and that the victim had been left with ongoing physical and emotional

01:13trauma. She also said Gheeson had shown no sign of remorse.

01:17Gregory Gheeson has been on full pay since he was charged last year, but the court heard

01:22this week that he's now tendered his resignation from the Supreme Court.