Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said Hinton would be the first Supreme Court Justice to take on the role, after being selected following a national recruitment campaign.

“Justice Hinton is a highly respected member of the judiciary and has vast experience in the criminal law,” she said.

He studied law at the University of Adelaide and was admitted to practice in 1989 before moving to the UK and working as a senior prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service.

Upon returning to Adelaide he joined the Office of the DPP  as a prosecutor and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2006.

He was appointed the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions a year later, Solicitor-General in 2008 and in 2016 was appointed to the Supreme Court.

Chapman said amendments to the Director of Public Prosecutions Act will be introduced into Parliament so that Justice Hinton can maintain his existing judicial entitlements.

“This is a similar approach as that taken in New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory, and will ensure high calibre candidates such as Justice Hinton are attracted to the role in future,” she said.

He is expected to be appointed DPP in October, subject to the passage of legislation through Parliament.

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