Sir Richard McMahon will retire as Bailiff of Guernsey at the end of August.
On the sixth anniversary of his installation as Bailiff, Sir Richard yesterday announced his intention to stand down from the role.
His request to retire was submitted to the Lieutenant-Governor and has been approved by His Majesty The King.
The process for replacing him has not yet been defined so it is unclear if the current Deputy Bailiff will be promoted to the top role. If she is, Mrs Jessica Roland will become the first female Bailiff.
Sir Richard McMahon was installed as the Bailiff of Guernsey on 11 May 2020. He was the 90th man to take on the lofty position – considered to be the “leading citizen and representative in non-political matters” (Guernsey Royal Court website).
Unlike his predecessors, Sir Richard was installed in a service streamed online due to the covid lockdown conditions in place at the time.
He had previously served Guernsey as Deputy Bailiff, under the former Bailiff Sir Richard Collas.
Sir Richard McMahon had been Her Majesty’s Comptroller and Deputy Receiver General before that.
As Bailiff, Sir Richard has been involved with all areas of island life.
The role covers judicial and civic duties, and a parliamentary role (Guernsey Royal Court website).
The Bailiff is a Judge of the Court of Appeal and that Court’s President. He also sits in the Royal Court, either as a single Judge or presiding over such sittings with the Jurats. The Bailiff’s parliamentary role involves acting as Presiding Officer of the States of Deliberation, serving as a moderator of debate in the assembly, ruling on questions of procedure and maintaining order.
As civic head of the community, the Bailiff represents Guernsey in and outside the island on occasions of a non-political nature and will, on behalf of the people of Guernsey, greet and welcome members of the Royal Family and dignitaries visiting the island.
The Bailiff represents the island at sporting occasions too, with Sir Richard supporting the Guernsey team at the Island Games in Guernsey in 2023 and in Orkney in 2025.
He is patron of a number of local charities and is frequently invited to events as a Guest of Honour and to unveil plaques or memorials. Sir Richard has been a supporter of the Blue Plaque scheme which honours the homes of, or a location associated with, late notable islanders or island residents.
Sir Richard McMahon
Guernsey’s 90th Bailiff was born in 1962 and educated at Abingdon School before going to Liverpool University, then Emmanuel College in Cambridge, the Inns of Court School of Law in London and finally the Université de Caen in France.
He was called to the English Bar in 1986 and spent a number of years lecturing law at the University of Reading, before moving to Guernsey in 1995 to become a Legislative Draftsman.
Then-Mr McMahon was called to the Guernsey Bar in 1998 and went on to be appointed a crown Advocate and Director of Civil Litigation in 2000. In 2008, he became External Relations Policy and Legal Adviser.
He was appointed Her Majesty’s Comptroller the following year and, as a consequence, Deputy to Her Majesty’s Receiver General for Guernsey. At the same time, he was also appointed Queen’s Counsel.
Mr McMahon took on the role of Deputy Bailiff of Guernsey in March 2012.
He was installed as Guernsey’s Bailiff in May 2020.
Sir Richard McMahon was knighted by King Charles III in his first Birthday Honours List in 2023.
He will retire at the end of August 2026.