Shane Drumgold replacement revealed as NT silk Victoria Engel

The ACT government has confirmed reports that it has appointed its first ever female chief prosecutor, with Victoria Engel filling the role less than two years after becoming a silk.

NT silk Victoria Engel will replace Shane Drumgold as the ACT’s chief prosecutor.

The ACT government has appointed its first ever female chief prosecutor, with NT silk Victoria Engel SC set to fill the role left empty by Shane Drumgold last year after he stepped down following serious misconduct findings against him.

The Australian early on Thursday revealed Ms Engel was due to take on the role, despite it largely being expected to go to Anthony Williams SC who stepped into the role of Acting ACT Director of Public Prosecutions when Mr Drumgold departed.

ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury confirmed the reports by the afternoon, praising Ms Engel as “highly regarded for her years of criminal trial experience working on high-profile and complex trials”.

“I am proud that the ACT is appointing our first female Director of Public Prosecutions, and I anticipate learning from her experiences in leading change in the criminal justice system in the Northern Territory,” he said.

“Anthony Williamson has done an outstanding job in acting in the position since 2023 and I would like to thank him for leading progressive changes in how the DPP and ACT Policing work together.”

Ms Engel said she was “pleased to accept the position” and was looking forward to leading “a strong and diverse team of prosecutors”.

“I’m looking forward to getting on with the job of serving the ACT community, and working with the talented staff of the DPP, ACT Policing and other stakeholders to do so,” she said.

“An important part of my work as a prosecutor has been working closely with police, independent bodies and other agencies to ensure the criminal justice system is as effective possible for everyone involved in our processes.

“I will bring that same commitment to Canberra and focus on building strong connections so we deliver the best system we can for our local community. I’m grateful to Anthony Williamson SC for his leadership of the office as Acting Director since 2023.”

Ms Engel was appointed silk less than two years ago, having worked previously as a crown prosecutor in NSW and the NT. She has also held the position of deputy DPP in the NT, having been appointed in 2021.

While in that role, Ms Engel was “heavily involved in policy advice, as well as the provision of expert opinion to external stakeholders such as the Northern Territory Police, Independent Commissioner against Corruption, and other agencies”, a government statement read.

Mr Drumgold resigned from the role in August last year following serious misconduct findings revealed throughout an inquiry into his prosecution of former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

At the time, Mr Drumgold made a statement saying: “While I acknowledge I made mistakes, I strongly dispute that I engaged in deliberate or underhanded conduct in the trial or that I was dishonest.”

After Mr Drumgold stepped aside, Mr Rattenbury invited expressions of interest for those wishing to be appointed to the role, which was largely expected to go to Mr Williamson.

The appointment comes at a challenging time for chief prosecutors across the country, as they come under fire from their own staff, legal experts and members of the judiciary.

In NSW, chief prosecutor Sally Dowling SC has been criticised by five judges for running “meritless” sexual assault trials. While she has launched an internal audit into the operations of her office, a wide-ranging parliamentary inquiry was shot down in the NSW upper house on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile in Victoria, DPP Kerri Judd has launched two official complaints against Victorian Supreme Court judge Lex Lasry and County Court judge Geoff Chettle.

An incensed Judge Lasry, who only found out last month that the DPP had taken action against him 10 months earlier, sensationally quit in open court, saying he “utterly” rejected the complaint.

Judge Chettle, who discovered late last year that the complaint had been lodged six months earlier, ­remains on the bench and has mounted a vigorous defence.

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