Shane Drumgold under scrutiny from inquiry findings

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Lawyers for the ACT's former top prosecutor have argued a journalist at the Australian got unrivalled access, to the chair of an inquiry into the prosecution of former liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

Transcript

00:00 No sign of the man himself today, as the ACT Supreme Court began hearing Shane Drumgold's

00:07 appeal against the inquiry's findings.

00:10 The scathing report concluded Mr Drumgold made several errors, including lying to the

00:15 Chief Justice and trying to block a police report from being disclosed to the defence.

00:20 While he disputes many of the findings, the former DPP resigned shortly after the report's

00:26 release.

00:27 But his lawyers argue the average observer might think the inquiry's chair, Walter Sofronoff,

00:32 was biased against him.

00:34 The former Queensland judge had extensive engagement with the Australians' Janet Albretson,

00:39 including no fewer than 51 phone calls and a private lunch.

00:44 She also gave Mr Sofronoff contact details for Mr Lehrman.

00:48 She was treated very differently from every other media person.

00:53 Ms Albretson had already written several articles critical of Mr Drumgold, even before the inquiry

00:58 was announced.

00:59 Today, the court heard of a text message Mr Sofronoff sent her in the days before the

01:04 inquiry began, discussing Mr Drumgold's dealings with his junior staff on the case.

01:10 What a thing to do to two young professionals under your mentorship.

01:14 Mr Drumgold's lawyer, Dan O'Gorman, said it suggests the chair made some of his findings

01:19 before taking any evidence.

01:22 Mr Sofronoff had poisoned his mind in relation to Mr Drumgold, at least in relation to this

01:27 particular point, before Drumgold had even got into the witness box.

01:32 The court heard the pair was introduced by another journalist, Walkley Award winner Hedley

01:37 Thomas.

01:38 In an email in February last year, Mr Thomas told Mr Sofronoff his colleague had a much

01:43 rosier relationship with Mr Lehrman's lawyers than with the DPP.

01:48 Mr Drumgold's lawyer said Mr Thomas had laid it all out, and the chair knew Janet Albertson's

01:53 coverage would be anti-Drumgold.

01:56 The hearing will continue tomorrow.

01:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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