ACT chief prosecutor Shane Drumgold has told an inquiry that he believed it was possible that federal ministers had interfered with police to thwart the now abandoned trial of Bruce Lehrmann.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Drumgold was asked by the inquiry if he believed there was a “political conspiracy” to interfere in the case.
“I have not formed a view solidly one way or another, but I thought there was enough incidences to make it possible, if not probable,” he said in reply.
Former Coalition ministers, Senator Linda Reynolds and Senator Michaelia Cash, who were both witnesses in the trial, vehemently denied the suggestion there had been political interference in the case. In statements on Wednesday, they said the suggestion had no foundation.
On Thursday, Senator Michaelia Cash made this statement: “I note Mr Drumgold today backflipped on his evidence of yesterday in regard to alleged political interference in the investigation. It is disturbing and baffling that this view wasn’t offered by Mr Drumgold when he was questioned yesterday.”
“I categorically reject his evidence of yesterday (Wednesday) and consider it an affront to my reputation. The suggestion was absurd and without foundation.”
The board of inquiry is looking into the handling of the case and whether criminal justice agencies met their responsibilities throughout the case of Lehrmann.
Lehrmann, a former Liberal Party staffer, was accused of raping Brittany Higgins in parliament house in 2019. The trial was aborted last year after misconduct by a juror, while a retrial was abandoned due to concerns for Higgins’ mental health. Lehrmann was never convicted and has always maintained his innocence.
One of the reasons the board of inquiry into the case was established was that Drumgold alleged ACT detectives had pressured him not to prosecute Lehrmann.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Drumgold also said he probably shouldn’t have made comments in support of Higgins during a press conference in December, when he announced there would not be a retrial.
It’s also been reported today that a former lawyer for Lehrmann had attempted to get Drumgold to prevent Higgins from giving a speech at the National Press Club in February last year. The lawyer, John Korn, said in a statement to the inquiry that he feared the speech could be prejudicial.
Lehrmann is currently suing the ABC for its broadcast of the National Press Club speech.