Revenge of Bruce Lehrmann: ACT DPP on trial

Bruce Lehrmann will lodge a multimillion-dollar compensation claim against the ACT DPP’s office.

Bruce Lehrmann. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Bruce Lehrmann will lodge a multimillion-dollar claim for compensation against the ACT Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as the territory government examines what are expected to be serious adverse findings against chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold.

Mr Lehrmann’s explosive claim of malfeasance by the ODPP emerged on the same day the ACT government received the Sofronoff report into misconduct in the prosecution case against the former Liberal staffer.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr has drawn fire over his decision to delay public release of the report, with former defence minister Linda Reynolds condemning the “inexplicable suppression” of Mr Sofronoff’s findings.

On Friday Mr Barr said the government would consider the report “through a proper cabinet process” that would take three to four weeks, with the Legislative Assembly updated at the end of August. It is believed at least two of the potential findings against Mr Drumgold, who has been on leave since May and is not due to return until August 30, would be grounds for his dismissal as Director of Public Prosecutions and for removal from the roll of barristers.

On Monday afternoon, hours after Mr Sofronoff handed his report to Mr Barr, Mr Lehrmann told The Australian: “I will be guided by the report and call for its release as a matter of urgency.

“If it finds the director acted with malice or against his duties as DPP and as an officer of the court, I will be considering a multimillion claim for damages and compensation from the ODPP and the ACT government.”

ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Lehrmann said he had appointed solicitors and a team of barristers to provide advice and was considering options in anticipation of the report being made public. Mr Lehrmann is already suing the ABC, Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over news broadcasts relating to allegations he raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in March 2019. He has always denied the allegations.

On the weekend, Mr Lehrmann responded angrily to the delay in releasing Mr Sofronoff’s report, posting on social media: “Absolute disgrace! I remember someone saying that sunlight is the best disinfectant … The Drumgold protection racket continues. The chief minister should hang his head in shame.”

Earlier this year the federal government paid Ms Higgins compensation believed to be worth more than $2m after she claimed her allegations of rape were mishandled. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has refused to answer questions regarding the payout, which was provided without consultation with former senior Liberal ministers, including Senator Reynolds, who were at the centre of her claims.

Brittany Higgins. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

On Monday Senator Reynolds criticised the delay in releasing Mr Sofronoff’s report. “The ACT government’s inexplicable suppression of the Sofronoff report for up to a month is deeply distressing for those whose lives and reputations have been negatively impacted by the conduct of this trial,” she said.

Mr Barr said that, subject to the contents of the report, and any legal implications, he intended to table all, or part, of the report during the August parliamentary sitting and “may provide an interim response to some, or all, of the recommendations” at that time.

The most serious allegations of misconduct against Mr Drumgold involve episodes where he misled Chief Justice Lucy McCallum during the course of the proceedings against Mr Lehrmann.

Mr Drumgold has already admitted two breaches but claimed they were unintentional.