Report into handling of Bruce Lehrmann’s trial to not be made public for weeks

A highly anticipated report into the trial of Bruce Lehrmann will be handed to the ACT government on Monday, but won’t be made public for some time.

A long-awaited report into the handling of Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial is not expected to be released for weeks.

Former Queensland Supreme Court judge Walter Sofronoff KC is due to hand his findings to the ACT government on Monday.

But a spokesperson confirmed the Chief Minister does not intend to table the report until parliament sits in late August.

“The government will consider the report through a proper cabinet process. This could take three to four weeks,” the spokesperson said.

“Subject to the contents of the report, and any legal implications, the Chief Minister currently intends to table all, or part of the report during the August parliamentary sitting of the ACT Legislative Assembly.”

Mr Lehrmann attended the first day of the high-profile inquiry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The next scheduled sitting day is not until August 29.

Mr Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting his former colleague Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019.

His trial was aborted last October due to jury misconduct and a planned retrial was abandoned due to concerns about Ms Higgins’ mental health.

The charge was dropped and there have been no findings made against him. He maintains his innocence.

The high profile inquiry into the handling of the case was launched after the release of a scathing letter from Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC to the ACT’s chief of police Neil Gaughan.

Mr Drumgold has been on leave since May. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Dylan Robinson

In the letter Mr Drumgold raised concerns about the “political and police conduct” throughout the investigation and trial

The inquiry examined the conduct of the prosecution, police and the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates over a 13-day period.

During the inquiry, Mr Drumgold said a series of “strange things” led him to suspect a political conspiracy in the case was “probable, if not possible”.

He later walked back the claim and blamed the concerns he and the office of the DPP had with the police’s conduct on a “likely skills deficit”.

The delay in the release of the findings will only create further doubt about Mr Drumgold’s future.

Mr Drumgold has been on leave since May, just days after he faced a tough grilling at the inquiry over his claims that he felt pressured not to charge Mr Lehrmann.

He was due to return to work in mid-June, but his leave was extended until August 30.

An ACT government spokesperson said that an interim response would be considered on the basis of the recommendations made by Mr Sofronoff.

But a final government response “may take several months”.