Gary Hickinbottom
Encyclopedia
Sir Gary Robert Hickinbottom (born 22 December 1955), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Hickinbotton, is a British judge. In 2008, he became the fifth solicitor
to be appointed a High Court judge
, after John Wall
in 1990, Michael Sachs
in 1993, Lawrence Collins
in 2000, and Henry Hodge
in 2004.
He was admitted as a solicitor in 1981, and later became a partner at McKenna & Co (now part of CMS Cameron McKenna
). He became a recorder
in 1994 and then a circuit judge in 2001. He became Chief Social Security Commissioner and Child Support Commissioner in 2003, and Chief Pension Appeal Commissioner. He has also sat as a deputy High Court judge.
On 16 July 2007, sitting as a deputy High Court Judge, he upheld an application for judicial review
against the decision to slaughter Shambo
, a sacred black Friesian
bull at the Hindu
Skanda Vale
Temple near Llanpumsaint
in Wales
which tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, holding that the Welsh government had failed to carry out the balancing exercise required by Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (freedom of religion).http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2007/1736.html His ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal one week later,http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2007/893.html and the bull was slaughtered within days.
Hickinbottom's appointment as a High Court judge
was announced in September 2008, with his assignment to the Queen's Bench Division.http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=379222&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True
Sir Gary was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 20 February 2009.
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
to be appointed a High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
, after John Wall
John Wall (judge)
Sir John Anthony Wall CBE was a British lawyer and the first visually impaired judge of the High Court of Justice of the 20th century....
in 1990, Michael Sachs
Michael Sachs (judge)
Sir Michael Alexander Geddes Sachs was the second English solicitor after John Wall to be appointed as a High Court judge...
in 1993, Lawrence Collins
Lawrence Collins
Lawrence Antony Collins, Baron Collins of Mapesbury, PC , is a British judge and former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. He was also appointed to the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong on April 11, 2011 as a non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions...
in 2000, and Henry Hodge
Henry Hodge
Sir Henry Egar Garfield Hodge, OBE , styled The Hon. Mr Justice Hodge, was an English solicitor and judge of the High Court of England and Wales....
in 2004.
He was admitted as a solicitor in 1981, and later became a partner at McKenna & Co (now part of CMS Cameron McKenna
CMS Cameron McKenna
CMS Cameron McKenna LLP is an international law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
). He became a recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
in 1994 and then a circuit judge in 2001. He became Chief Social Security Commissioner and Child Support Commissioner in 2003, and Chief Pension Appeal Commissioner. He has also sat as a deputy High Court judge.
On 16 July 2007, sitting as a deputy High Court Judge, he upheld an application for judicial review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
against the decision to slaughter Shambo
Shambo
"Shambo" was a black Friesian bull living in the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint in Wales, who had been adopted by the local Hindu community as a sacred animal...
, a sacred black Friesian
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
bull at the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Skanda Vale
Skanda Vale
Skanda Vale is a Hindu Temple/Monastery in Llanpumsaint community, Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales. The temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya, who is also known as Skanda, Karttikeya, and Muruga...
Temple near Llanpumsaint
Llanpumsaint
Llanpumsaint is a village and community in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. In the 2001 UK Census, Llanpumsaint community had a population of 595...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
which tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, holding that the Welsh government had failed to carry out the balancing exercise required by Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (freedom of religion).http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2007/1736.html His ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal one week later,http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2007/893.html and the bull was slaughtered within days.
Hickinbottom's appointment as a High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
was announced in September 2008, with his assignment to the Queen's Bench Division.http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=379222&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True
Sir Gary was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 20 February 2009.