Bruce Lehrmann has described damning findings about the ACT's top prosecutor as "overwhelming and alarming", praising an inquiry that exposed "a dark chapter" for the territory's justice system.
Board of inquiry chairman Walter Sofronoff KC's report on the prosecution of Mr Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, was leaked to The Australian on Wednesday.
The newspaper reported that Mr Sofronoff made several adverse findings about the "disturbing" conduct of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC, including that he had knowingly lied to Chief Justice Lucy McCallum.
Mr Drumgold also "preyed on" the inexperience of a junior prosecutor while dishonestly attempting to keep explosive police documents from Mr Lehrmann's lawyers.
At the direction of Mr Drumgold, the lawyer prepared an affidavit that "deliberately advanced" a false claim that the documents were privileged.
Mr Lehrmann, whose rape charge was discontinued in the wake of a mistrial last year, responded to the leaked findings in a statement.
"Much of what we are reading my brilliant criminal defence team, led by Steve Whybrow SC, suspected all along," Mr Lehrmann said.
"I owe everything to the lawyers who have surrounded me. This is overwhelming and alarming reading.
"It is credit to Mr Sofronoff and his team for pulling back the covers and exposing what really is a dark chapter for the ACT justice system.
"I will have more to say in due course as the full report is made public by the Chief Minister."
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has indicated an intention to table Mr Sofronoff's report in the ACT Legislative Assembly at the end of August, notwithstanding that its contents have already been reported.
Ironically, it was Mr Drumgold who called for the public inquiry after accusing police of impropriety and suggesting there may have been a political conspiracy to silence Brittany Higgins, the former colleague who accused Mr Lehrmann of rape.
Mr Sofronoff concluded that each of the claims Mr Drumgold made, sparking his inquiry, were baseless.
"The result has been a public inquiry, which was not justified by any of his allegations, that has caused lasting pain to many people and which has demonstrated his allegations to be not just incorrect, but wholly false and without any rational basis," Mr Sofronoff reportedly wrote.
"The cost of a six-month public inquiry - in time and money, in lost work, and personal and professional consequences - has been huge."
Mr Drumgold has been contacted for comment.
More to come.
