The ACT’s prime prosecutor denies he intentionally withheld paperwork from Bruce Lehrmann‘s defence staff the place police wrote ‘pejorative feedback’ about Brittany Higgins.
Shane Drumgold advised an inquiry into how the territory’s justice system dealt with rape allegations in opposition to Mr Lehrmann that he’d ‘clearly’ erred in not offering the paperwork, however denied he’d carried out so on account of his considerations with them.
The ACT Director of Public Prosecutions is giving his second day of proof to the inquiry, established after accusations by police and prosecutors about one another’s conduct through the case.
Former Queensland solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff is main the inquiry which is inspecting how territory police, prosecutors and a sufferer help service dealt with Ms Higgins’ allegations.
Mr Drumgold was grilled on the division’s disclosure of paperwork to the defence, the place they didn’t hand over one containing police criticism of Ms Higgins, citing authorized skilled privilege.
The ACT’s prime prosecutor denies he intentionally withheld paperwork from Bruce Lehrmann’s defence staff the place police wrote ‘pejorative feedback’ about Brittany Higgins (pictured)
Prosecutor Shane Drumgold (pictured) advised an inquiry into how the territory’s justice system dealt with rape allegations in opposition to Mr Lehrmann that he’d ‘clearly’ erred
He advised the inquiry it was ‘clearly error’ to depend on authorized skilled privilege, however maintained he’d relied on these considerations to not hand over the doc.
‘I had some considerations this is able to be crushing to the complainant,’ Mr Drumgold advised the inquiry.
‘I held a priority {that a} senior police officer … decreasing to writing pejorative feedback a couple of complainant, if it falls into the ears of the complainant can be crushing and that may inhibit her means to interact in trial.’
Mr Lehrmann confronted an ACT Supreme Court docket trial in October 2022 however juror misconduct meant a verdict was not reached.
Prosecutors later dropped the cost in opposition to Mr Lehrmann due to considerations in regards to the influence a second trial would have on Ms Higgins’ psychological well being.
Mr Lehrmann denies raping Ms Higgins in Parliament Home in 2019.
Prosecutors later dropped the cost in opposition to Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) due to considerations in regards to the influence a second trial would have on Ms Higgins’ psychological well being.
He made an surprising look on the inquiry on Monday and sat in the back of the tribunal room.
Mr Lehrmann’s defence lawyer Steven Whybrow can even give proof to the inquiry within the first block of public hearings.
A report will likely be supplied to Chief Minister Andrew Barr on the finish of July.
Supply: | This text initially belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
