Shane Drumgold resigns: Top prosecutor who led criminal trial against Bruce Lehrmann steps down in wake of the leaked Sofronoff report
The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold has tendered his resignation and will enter early retirement, reports say.
Mr Drumgold has been on paid leave since May, after he was grilled by a Board of Inquiry into the way Mr Lehrmann’s rape trial was handled by police and prosecutors.
Brittany Higgins alleged Mr Lehrmann, her former colleague, raped her in Parliament House after a night out in 2019 – which he strongly denies.
He was tried in the ACT Supreme Court in October last year, but the trial was abandoned after a juror brought banned research material into the court.
Mr Drumgold then dropped the charge entirely in December – citing concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health.
The inquiry was lead by former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff, who handed his findings to the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr on Monday.
Mr Barr had planned on keeping the report a secret for weeks, but Mr Sofronoff leaked the report to two media outlets without the authorisation of the ACT Government.
The Board of Inquiry was launched after ACT DPP Shane Drumgold (pictured) claimed there was political interference in the investigation into Mr Lehrmann
Mr Drumgold told colleagues he was ‘in absolute shock’ upon hearing the report was leaked by the inquiry’s chairman, news.com.au reported.
In November last year, a month before the charge was dropped, Mr Drumgold sent a furious letter to ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan calling for the inquiry.
The prosecutor said he believed investigating officers were conspiring not to charge Mr Lehrmann, and asserted there was ‘political interference’ which hindered the investigation into Ms Higgins’ allegations.
However, Mr Drumgold eventually conceded under cross-examination that he was ‘possibly mistaken’ and there was no conspiracy, nor was there evidence of policical interference.
Mr Sofronoff’s report said: ‘The result has been a public inquiry, which was not justified by any of his allegations, that has caused lasting pain to many people and which has demonstrated his allegations to be not just incorrect, but wholly false and without any rational basis.’
Mr Lehrmann has told multiple media outlets he was preparing to sue the ACT government over his prosecution.
‘I’ve instructed my solicitors to prepare a statement of claim against the state,’ he said.
‘I’ve got lawyers that need to be paid, people who have supported me, like my mum and uncle, who need to be supported.
‘I’m not interested in becoming a millionaire, but I do want to perhaps get on with my life and maybe buy a house.’
More to come
