Sir Graham Panckhurst | |
|---|---|
 Panckhurst in 2015 | |
| Judge of the High Court of New Zealand | |
| In office 1996–2014 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Graham Ken Panckhurst 1945 (age 78–79) Reefton, New Zealand |
| Spouse | Jill Panckhurst |
Sir Graham Ken Panckhurst KNZM KC (born 1945) is a retired New Zealand High Court judge. He chaired the Royal Commission into the Pike River Mine disaster.
Born in Reefton in 1945, [1] [2] Panckhurst was educated at Reefton District High School [3] and Christchurch Boys' High School. [4] He went on to study law at the University of Canterbury, and was elected to the university's Student Representative Council. [5] He married his wife, Jill, a registered nurse, in the late 1960s. [6] [7]
Panckhurst was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Christchurch on 20 February 1970. [8] In 1985, he was appointed as Crown Solicitor for Canterbury and the West Coast. Panckhurst took silk in 1994 and was appointed to the High Court bench in 1996. [9] He retired from the High Court bench in 2014.
In 2009, Panckhurst heard the retrial of David Bain. The trial was substantial with the prosecution calling 150 witnesses. [10] In 2010, Panckhurst was appointed to head the Royal Commission into the Pike River Mine disaster. [11]
In November 2014, Panckhurst was granted the retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his service as a High Court judge. [12] In the 2015 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the judiciary. [13]
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