Date of initial appointment to the judicial roster: 6 February 2020
Current term: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2026
Judge Iain Bonomy has been a Judge of the Mechanism since February 2020. In this capacity, he has been involved in a variety of matters, including as a Single Judge and as Presiding Judge of the Trial Chamber in the Kabuga case.
Judge Bonomy previously served as a Judge of the ICTY (2004-2009), initially replacing Judge Richard May on the Trial Chamber trying Slobodan Milošević following Judge May’s resignation on account of illness, and thereafter presiding over the Bralo and Milutinović et al. cases in his capacity as Presiding Judge of Trial Chamber III. Judge Bonomy also chaired an ICTY working group which produced recommendations for improvements in the practice and procedure of the criminal proceedings.
Aside from his tenure at the Mechanism and the ICTY, Judge Bonomy served within the Scottish judiciary for many years, including as Senator of the College of Justice (Judge in the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary) (1997-2004) and, later, as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in Scotland (2009-2012). Earlier in his career, he practised as a solicitor (1970–1983), as an advocate (1984-1992) and thereafter Queen's Counsel (1993-1997). As Queen's Counsel, he held the post of senior prosecuting counsel in Scotland.
In addition, Judge Bonomy served as a Surveillance Commissioner for the United Kingdom (1998-2004; 2010-2017) and, subsequently, as a Judicial Commissioner in the Office of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (2017-2022). He was also commissioned by the Scottish government to chair a number of inquiries, including reviewing and recommending changes to the Scottish rules of evidence and criminal procedure (2014-2015). Separately, Judge Bonomy served as part of the Group of Independent Experts appointed to review the International Criminal Court (ICC) and provide recommendations aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the ICC and the Rome Statute system (2019-2020).
Judge Bonomy holds a bachelor’s degree with honours in law from Glasgow University, Scotland (1964). He also holds an honorary doctorate (LL.D) from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland (2006). He was admitted to the Scottish Bar in 1984 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1993. He is fluent in English and has a working knowledge of French and German.