Tony Hunt | |
---|---|
Judge of the High Court | |
Assumed office 30 October 2014 | |
Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
Judge of the Circuit Court | |
In office 15 May 2007 – 30 October 2014 | |
Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
Personal details | |
Nationality | Irish |
Alma mater | |
Tony Hunt is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the High Court since October 2014, and is the senior presiding judge of the Special Criminal Court. He previously served as a Judge of the Circuit Court from 2007 and 2014.
Hunt attended University College Dublin from where he obtained a BCL degree in 1984. [1] He subsequently attended the King's Inns to study to become a barrister. [2]
Hunt was called to the Bar in 1986. [2] He was an appointee of the Bar Council to the Superior Court Rules Committee. [3]
Much of his practice was spent appearing in criminal trials as prosecuting counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions. He acted in trials involving assault, [4] sexual assault, [5] manslaughter, [6] drugs offences, [7] and tax offences. [8] He acted for defendants in traffic offences, [9] and sexual assault cases. [10]
Hunt also represented clients in cases involving injunctions, [11] contracts, [12] and personal injuries. [13]
His career on the bench began in May 2007 when he was appointed a judge of the Circuit Court. [14] From March 2012, he was assigned to the Midland Circuit. [2]
He was a member of the Circuit Court Rules Committee. [15] He replaced Yvonne Murphy as a member of the Working Group on Efficiency Measures in the Criminal Justice System for the Circuit and District Courts in February 2012. [16]
Hunt was elevated to the High Court in October 2014, coinciding with multiple vacancies created on the court following the creation by the Court of Appeal. [17]
Hunt frequently hears cases from the Central Criminal Court, including those involving murder, [18] manslaughter, [19] and rape. [20] In 2015, he was the judge in the trial of Graham Dwyer arising out of the murder of Elaine O'Hara. The trial lasted 46 days and attracted much media and public attention. [21] In 2023, he was the judge in the trial of Jozef Puška, arising out of the high-profile murder of Ashling Murphy. [22] Hunt has also heard extradition applications. [23]
He is the senior presiding judge of the Special Criminal Court. [24] He has heard cases concerning dissident republicanism and the Hutch–Kinahan feud, including the shooting of Gareth Hutch, [25] Dessie O'Hare, [26] and the kidnapping of Kevin Lunney. [27] [28] In May 2020, he described the Kinahan organisation as having a "hierarchical structure" containing "cells and sub-cells" to engage in "execution-type murders" related to international "organised drugs and firearm trafficking". [29] [30] This was the first time a judge had outlined the organisation in such a way in court. [31]
Tony Hunt | |
---|---|
Judge of the High Court | |
Assumed office 30 October 2014 | |
Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
Appointed by | Michael D. Higgins |
Judge of the Circuit Court | |
In office 15 May 2007 – 30 October 2014 | |
Nominated by | Government of Ireland |
Appointed by | Mary McAleese |
Personal details | |
Nationality | Irish |
Alma mater | |
Tony Hunt is an Irish judge who has served as a Judge of the High Court since October 2014, and is the senior presiding judge of the Special Criminal Court. He previously served as a Judge of the Circuit Court from 2007 and 2014.
Hunt attended University College Dublin from where he obtained a BCL degree in 1984. [1] He subsequently attended the King's Inns to study to become a barrister. [2]
Hunt was called to the Bar in 1986. [2] He was an appointee of the Bar Council to the Superior Court Rules Committee. [3]
Much of his practice was spent appearing in criminal trials as prosecuting counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions. He acted in trials involving assault, [4] sexual assault, [5] manslaughter, [6] drugs offences, [7] and tax offences. [8] He acted for defendants in traffic offences, [9] and sexual assault cases. [10]
Hunt also represented clients in cases involving injunctions, [11] contracts, [12] and personal injuries. [13]
His career on the bench began in May 2007 when he was appointed a judge of the Circuit Court. [14] From March 2012, he was assigned to the Midland Circuit. [2]
He was a member of the Circuit Court Rules Committee. [15] He replaced Yvonne Murphy as a member of the Working Group on Efficiency Measures in the Criminal Justice System for the Circuit and District Courts in February 2012. [16]
Hunt was elevated to the High Court in October 2014, coinciding with multiple vacancies created on the court following the creation by the Court of Appeal. [17]
Hunt frequently hears cases from the Central Criminal Court, including those involving murder, [18] manslaughter, [19] and rape. [20] In 2015, he was the judge in the trial of Graham Dwyer arising out of the murder of Elaine O'Hara. The trial lasted 46 days and attracted much media and public attention. [21] In 2023, he was the judge in the trial of Jozef Puška, arising out of the high-profile murder of Ashling Murphy. [22] Hunt has also heard extradition applications. [23]
He is the senior presiding judge of the Special Criminal Court. [24] He has heard cases concerning dissident republicanism and the Hutch–Kinahan feud, including the shooting of Gareth Hutch, [25] Dessie O'Hare, [26] and the kidnapping of Kevin Lunney. [27] [28] In May 2020, he described the Kinahan organisation as having a "hierarchical structure" containing "cells and sub-cells" to engage in "execution-type murders" related to international "organised drugs and firearm trafficking". [29] [30] This was the first time a judge had outlined the organisation in such a way in court. [31]