Drumgold review chair to fight claims
Tess Ikonomou |
Walter Sofronoff will fight accusations he gave special treatment to a journalist during his review of Bruce Lehrmann’s prosecution.
Mr Sofronoff, who chaired an inquiry into the failed case, has been accused by prosecutor Shane Drumgold of affording special treatment to The Australian journalist Janet Albrechtson.
Mr Drumgold’s lawyers have argued Mr Sofronoff had been “infected” with bias against the ex-DPP through his contact with Albrechtsen.
After hours of submissions in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, lawyers for the ACT government argued there was no evidence Mr Sofronoff was “poisoned” against Mr Drumgold by Albrechtsen.
Mr Sofronoff’s legal team will continue their submissions in the court on Thursday.
Mr Drumgold claims he was denied justice during the inquiry into actions of police and prosecutors involved in the trial and is seeking a court declaration to invalidate the report.
The review conducted by the former Queensland judge found Mr Drumgold engaged in malpractice and unethical conduct.
Mr Drumgold’s lawyers argue the report handed down by the inquiry was written with an apprehension of bias.
Mr Sofronoff found while the decision to prosecute Lehrmann was sound, Mr Drumgold lost objectivity, lied to the court’s chief justice and wrongly tried to keep material from the defence.
Mr Drumgold claims he was denied justice during the inquiry into actions of police and prosecutors involved in the trial.
Mr Lehrmann was accused of raping Brittany Higgins, a fellow political staffer, inside Parliament House.
He denies the allegation.
His trial was abandoned due to jury misconduct and a retrial called off over concerns about Ms Higgins’ health.
The case continues.
AAP
