Shane Drumgold extends leave from ACT top prosecutor role following Bruce Lehrmann inquiry

The ACT’s top prosecutor has extended his leave in the wake of a bruising appearance at the Sofronoff inquiry into the Bruce Lehrmann-Brittany Higgins case.

The ACT’s top prosecutor has extended his leave for a second time in the wake of a bruising appearance at an inquiry into a high-profile trial.

Shane Drumgold SC has been on leave since May after he faced days of questioning over his claims that he felt pressured not to charge former Coalition staffer Bruce Lehrmann over the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins.

Mr Drumgold was due to return to work in mid-June, but his leave was extended to the end of June.

In a short statement ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury confirmed Mr Drumgold had extended his leave again until August 30.

“Anthony Williamson SC will continue to act in the role during this time,” he said.

Mr Drumgold was the lead prosecutor in the trial against Mr Lehrmann. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Lehrmann’s trial was aborted 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.

Mr Drumgold’s scathing letter to the ACT’s chief of police raising concerns about the “political and police conduct” throughout the investigation and trial sparked the high profile board of inquiry led by former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff.

It 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”.

Mr Drumgold also came under fire from barrister Sue Chrysanthou, who was representing journalist Lisa Wilkinson during the inquiry, over whether he effectively warned her not to give a speech should the broadcaster's interview with Ms Higgins win a Logies award.

Mr Drumgold and his junior counsel Skye Jerome both provided evidence to the board of inquiry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Lehrmann’s original trial date was vacated due to the publicity that surrounded the victory speech Wilkinson eventually gave.

The Network 10 star gave evidence she was never told not to give the speech.

Mr Drumgold claimed he did advise against it, but conceded notes provided to the court of a Microsoft Teams meeting between Wilkinson, the 10 lawyer, and himself were amended after the fact to include his warning.

He later conceded under intense questioning from Ms Chrysanthou that he should have done more to correct the court’s assumption the notes were made at the time of the meeting.

Mr Sofronoff is understood to be notifying parties involved of his draft findings by Friday and will deliver his recommendations to ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr by the end of the month.

The findings will not be made public until after the government assesses the report.