A Supreme Court judge has been charged with assault and emotional abuse.
Police confirmed they have arrested and charged a 62-year-old Hobart man, believed to be Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason. according to Mercury.
“The man has been charged with one count of common assault and one count of emotional abuse,” a Tasmania Police statement said.
Judge Geason will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on Friday evening for an out-of-hours hearing.
It comes a month after Attorney General Guy Barnett issued a brief press release saying a judge had been asked to take a leave of absence.
Supreme Court Justice Gregory Geason, 62, (pictured) has been arrested and charged with assault and emotional abuse
The attorney general's initial release did not provide specific details, such as the judge's name, the nature of the charges or how the matter would be resolved.
“Today I met with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in connection with an important case involving a judge,” Mr Barnett said.
“The Chief Justice has asked the judge to take leave until further notice.
“As Attorney General, I take this matter very seriously and will consider any further action.”
A Tasmanian Police spokesperson said an investigation had been launched after receiving a number of inquiries.
“Tasmania Police have received inquiries regarding whether an individual was the subject of a family violence order,” a spokesperson said.
'Police do not comment in relation to family violence orders issued by police.'
It is understood that the family violence order issued to Judge Geason relates to a relationship with a woman.
A parliamentary process is needed to… Judge of the Supreme Court.
Tasmania's state government declined to comment on whether it would respond to the developments. The Australian reported.
Attorney General Guy Barnett (pictured) initially issued a brief press release on November 2 stating that a judge had been asked to take a leave of absence
No findings have been made against Judge Geason.
Judge Geason was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017, where he vowed to do his best behind the bench during his term.
“The court will have before it the unhappy and the happy, the mighty and the weak, the strong and the broken,” he said at his swearing-in ceremony.
“I will do my best to meet your expectations of me.”
Judge Geason was a respected judge at the time and was praised for his thirty years of experience in civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts.
According to his biography on the Supreme Court's website, he was admitted to practice in 1987 and worked as an attorney general in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The respected judge had previously been best man at former Prime Minister Will Hodgman's wedding.