Basil Gribbin

Basil Gribbin is a co-ordinating magistrate in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court and a member of the Queensland Magistrates Association, which is the equivalent of a Magistrates Union [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1401264.htm] .

Role in imprisonment of Di Fingleton

He is most famous for having written an affidavit in 2002 in support of a fellow magistrate named Ann Thacker, who was challenging a decision made by Chief Magistrate, Di Fingleton to transfer her from Brisbane to Townsville. [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1401264.htm] This resulted in Fingleton sending Gribbin an email asking him to show cause why she should not dismiss him from the position of supervising magistrate. Gribbin responded by accusing her of attempting to pervert the course of justice and trying to interfere with his right to give evidence in support of Thacker [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/lawrpt/stories/s1401264.htm] . Gribbin referred the matter to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and this resulted in Fingleton being convicted of the offence of retaliating against a witness. Her conviction was later quashed on appeal in a unanimous decision of the High Court of Australia.