# Gary Hickinbottom > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Hickinbottom > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gary_Hickinbottom.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hickinbottom > Source revision: 1347046655 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British judge (born 1955)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [The Right Honourable](/source/The_Right_Honourable) | name = Sir Gary Hickinbottom | image = President of the Welsh Tribunals Sir Gary Robert Hickinbottom (cropped).jpg | caption = | office = [President of Welsh Tribunals](/source/President_of_Welsh_Tribunals) | term_start = 1 April 2023 | predecessor = | successor = | monarch = [Charles III](/source/Charles_III) | office1 = [Lord Justice of Appeal](/source/Lord_Justice_of_Appeal) | term_start1 = 3 May 2017 | term_end1 = 7 January 2021 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = [Sir Colin Birss](/source/Colin_Birss) | monarch1 = [Elizabeth II](/source/Elizabeth_II) | birth_name = Gary Robert Hickinbottom | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|12|22|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | relations = | alma_mater = | occupation = Solicitor, [High Court judge](/source/High_Court_judge_(England_and_Wales)), [Lord Justice of Appeal](/source/Lord_Justice_of_Appeal) | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Sir Gary Robert Hickinbottom''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|PC}} (born 22 December 1955) is a British judge who currently serves as [President of Welsh Tribunals](/source/President_of_Welsh_Tribunals) and as Knight Principal of the [Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor](/source/Imperial_Society_of_Knights_Bachelor). In 2008, he became the fourth [solicitor](/source/solicitor) to be appointed a [High Court judge](/source/High_Court_judge_(England_and_Wales)), after [Michael Sachs](/source/Michael_Sachs_(judge)) in 1993, [Lawrence Collins](/source/Lawrence_Collins%2C_Baron_Collins_of_Mapesbury) in 2000, and [Henry Hodge](/source/Henry_Hodge) in 2004. ==Legal career== He was admitted as a solicitor in 1981, and later became a partner at McKenna & Co (now part of [CMS Cameron McKenna](/source/CMS_Cameron_McKenna)). He became a [recorder](/source/recorder_(judge)) in 1994 and then a [circuit judge](/source/Circuit_judge_(UK)) in 2001. He became Chief [Social Security Commissioner](/source/Social_Security_Commissioner) and [Child Support Commissioner](/source/Child_Support_Commissioner) in 2003, and Chief [Pension Appeal Commissioner](/source/Pension_Appeal_Commissioner).{{cite web | title = Judicial Appointments | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081218205535/http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=379222&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True | archive-date = 18 December 2008 | url = http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=379222&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=True | website = nds.coi.gov.uk | publisher = [Ministry of Justice](/source/Ministry_of_Justice_(United_Kingdom)) | date = 19 September 2008}} He has also sat as a deputy High Court judge. ===Judicial career=== Hickinbottom's appointment as a [High Court judge](/source/High_Court_judge_(England_and_Wales)) was announced in September 2008, with his assignment to the [King's Bench Division](/source/King's_Bench_Division). He was [knighted](/source/Knight_Bachelor) by [the Queen](/source/Elizabeth_II) at [Buckingham Palace](/source/Buckingham_Palace) on 20 February 2009. In 2017 he was appointed a [Lord Justice of Appeal](/source/Lord_Justice_of_Appeal) and therefore, as is customary, was also made a member of the [Privy Council](/source/Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom),{{cite web | last = Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street | author-link = 10 Downing Street#Prime Minister's Office | title = Privy Council appointment: Sir Gary Hickinbottom | url = https://www.gov.uk/government/news/privy-council-appointment-sir-gary-hickinbottom | website = gov.uk | publisher = [GOV.UK](/source/GOV.UK) | date = 21 April 2017 }}{{cite book | last = Tilbrook | first = Richard | title = List of business: Sir Gary Hickinbottom sworn in | url = https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-05-03-List-of-Business.pdf | publisher = [Privy Council Office](/source/Privy_Council_Office_(United_Kingdom)) | date = 3 May 2017}} entitling him to the honorific "[The Right Honourable](/source/The_Right_Honourable)". He retired from the Court of Appeal on 7 January 2021.{{cite web | url = https://www.judiciary.uk/appointments-and-retirements/court-of-appeal-retirement-of-lord-justice-hickinbottom/ | title = Court of Appeal: Retirement of Lord Justice Hickinbottom | last = | first = | date = 19 January 2021 | website = Courts and Tribunals Judiciary | publisher = gov.uk | access-date = 10 February 2024 | quote = |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210113019/https://www.judiciary.uk/appointments-and-retirements/court-of-appeal-retirement-of-lord-justice-hickinbottom/|archive-date= 10 February 2024 }} He was appointed President of the Welsh Tribunals in March 2023.{{Cite web |title=Sir Gary Hickinbottom : President of Welsh Tribunals {{!}} GOV.WALES |url=https://www.gov.wales/welsh-tribunals/sir-gary-hickinbottom |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=www.gov.wales |language=en}} He represented the [Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor](/source/Imperial_Society_of_Knights_Bachelor) at the [2023 Coronation](/source/Coronation_of_Charles_III_and_Camilla).{{cite web |title=Coronation order of service in full |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65503950 |website=BBC News |date=5 May 2023 |access-date=6 May 2023}} === Chinese restaurant controversy === In 2016 Hickinbottom purchased a residential property in Llandaff next door to a Chinese restaurant, the long-established Summer Palace. He and his wife, Lady Georgina Caroline Hickinbottom, reportedly lodged complaints about noise and smells. The Chinese restaurant received an “outpouring of support” from the public, including in the form of petitions, and was met with national political backing, in particular from the First Minister [Mark Drakeford](/source/Mark_Drakeford) and Cardiff West MP [Kevin Brennan](/source/Kevin_Brennan_(politician)) who together wrote a letter of support. On social media the restaurant was supported by Welsh rugby star [Jonathan Davies](/source/Jonathan_Davies_(rugby%2C_born_1962)).{{Cite news |date=2020-01-21 |title=First minister joins fight to save Cardiff Chinese restaurant |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-51193233 |access-date=2024-07-29 |language=en-GB}} Locally other neighbours backed the restaurant, and the matter achieved some widespread coverage in the press and on the BBC.{{Cite news |date=2020-02-13 |title=Cardiff Chinese restaurant in court battle with judge neighbour |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-51495054 |access-date=2024-07-29 |language=en-GB}} However, on 10 November 2020, Cardiff Council dropped the case against the restaurant, which remained open.{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Ffion |date=2020-11-13 |title=Case dropped against restaurant under threat of closure over smell |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/llandaff-chinese-restaurant-cardiff-council-19251158 |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Wales Online |language=en}} ===Notable cases=== On 16 July 2007, sitting as a deputy High Court Judge, he upheld an application for [judicial review](/source/judicial_review) against the decision to slaughter [Shambo](/source/Shambo), a sacred black [Friesian](/source/Holstein_(cattle)) bull at the [Hindu](/source/Hindu) [Skanda Vale](/source/Skanda_Vale) Temple near [Llanpumsaint](/source/Llanpumsaint) in [Wales](/source/Wales) which tested positive for [bovine tuberculosis](/source/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](/source/European_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Human_Rights_and_Fundamental_Freedoms) (freedom of religion).{{cite web | title = England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions: Between "The Queen on the application of Swami Suryananda as a representative of the community of the many names of God" (Claimant) and "The Welsh Ministers" (Defendants) | url = http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2007/1736.html | website = bailii.org | publisher = [British and Irish Legal Information Institute](/source/British_and_Irish_Legal_Information_Institute) (BAILII) | date = 16 July 2007}} His ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal one week later,{{cite web | title = England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions: Between "Suryananda" (Claimant) and "The Welsh Ministers" (Defendants) | url = http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2007/893.html | website = bailii.org | publisher = [British and Irish Legal Information Institute](/source/British_and_Irish_Legal_Information_Institute) (BAILII) | date = 23 July 2007}} and the bull was slaughtered within days. In July 2018, sitting as a Lord Justice in the Divisional Court, he upheld the conviction of [Mike Buchanan](/source/Mike_Buchanan_(politician)), leader of the political party [Justice for Men and Boys](/source/Justice_for_Men_and_Boys) for [obstructing the highway](/source/Highways_Act_1980). Buchanan was arrested in June 2016 during a protest against [male circumcision](/source/Religious_male_circumcision) and convicted in October 2016. Rejecting Buchanan's appeal he said, "Buchanan had been perfectly legitimately protesting on the pavement. But he had then walked alone into the road and stood in front of cars as they tried to pass at the end of the working day. Standing there clearly put him at risk of serious injury - and he understood that risk, and was determined to take it - but it also put others at risk of injury or risked damage to property." The court also added a further £2,424 to his court bill of £3,603, bringing the total bill to £6,027.{{cite news | last = Herbert | first = Tom | title = Ex-Tory Party consultant fined £6,000 for protesting against male circumcision | url = https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/13/ex-tory-party-consultant-fined-6000-protesting-male-circumcision-7714538/ | work = [Metro](/source/Metro_(British_newspaper)) | date = 13 July 2018 | accessdate = 19 July 2018}} In May 2022, he led an inquiry into the corruption of [Andrew Fahie](/source/Andrew_Fahie) in the [British Virgin Islands](/source/British_Virgin_Islands).{{Cite web |date=2022-04-29 |title='Head coach wants to play': the US drug sting that led to BVI premier's arrest |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/29/head-coach-wants-play-us-drug-sting-bvi-premier-arrest-andrew-fahie |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{cite news |title=British Virgin Islands: UK decides against direct rule of territory |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61736373 |access-date=8 June 2022 |work=BBC News |date=8 June 2022}} In February 2023, he chaired the board hearing Everton F.C.'s appeal against the ten-point deduction imposed by the Premier League for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR).{{citation needed|date=October 2025}} ==References== {{reflist}} == Further reading == * {{cite news | title = Former McKenna lawyer appointed to High Court | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080920090650/http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=134693&d=415&h=417&f=416 | archive-date = 20 September 2008 | url = http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=134693&d=415&h=417&f=416 | work = The Lawyer | date = 19 September 2008}} * {{cite news | title = Timeline: Shambo | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6293840.stm | work = BBC News | date = 26 July 2007}} * {{cite news | title = Legal news: appointments | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article4805329.ece | work = The Times | date = 23 September 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * {{cite news | last = Rozenberg | first = Joshua | title = New High Court judge was Parking Ajudicator | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/lawreports/joshuarozenberg/3367686/New-High-Court-judge-was-parking-adjudicator.html | work = The Telegraph | date = 2 November 2008}} == External links == * [https://jac.judiciary.gov.uk/case-study/gary-hickinbottom-high-court-queens-bench-division Gary Hickinbottom] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811200735/https://jac.judiciary.gov.uk/case-study/gary-hickinbottom-high-court-queens-bench-division |date=11 August 2016 }}, Judicial Appointments Commission {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hickinbottom, Gary}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford Category:English solicitors Category:21st-century English judges Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:Queen's Bench Division judges Category:Lord justices of appeal Category:20th-century English judges Category:Presidents of Welsh Tribunals --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gary Hickinbottom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hickinbottom) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Hickinbottom?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.