The whole Bruce Lehrmann/Brittany Higgins saga has been hopelessly politicised from the instant the story broke. In no small part at the instigation of Higgins herself, who by her own admissions timed her media appearances, often at the expense of answering police requests, for maximum political impact.
Even before the alleged rape, Higgins and her then-boyfriend were texting each other about wanting a political sex scandal. But with her accusations having spectacularly failed in court, the political exploitation of the case has only gotten worse. Now it’s all moved into “proxy war” mode, with back-and-forth legal actions flying over the conduct of the original court action itself.
Bruce Lehrmann has personally written to the ACT Bar Association with a letter of complaint outlining several elements of serious misconduct he alleges against ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC, The Australian understands.
Lehrmann is also taking the ACT government up on their challenge of a public hearing into the conduct of the case.
The Australian understands Mr Lehrmann’s defence team is keen for the inquiry to examine whether pressure was applied not to prosecute Ms Higgins for contempt over remarks she made outside the court, following the collapse of the case due to juror misconduct […]
The defence team also wants the inquiry to investigate any pressure not to prosecute some journalists, including TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson for comments she made during a Logies acceptance speech.
Ms Wilkinson’s speech referenced Brittany Higgins despite being warned by prosecutors that publicity about the former political staffer’s allegations of rape could lead to the trial being delayed.
The Australian
Lehrmann’s challenge to the ACT government is important, to head off what might otherwise be suspected as a whitewash by an embarrassed government whose own prosecutor so woefully bollixed one of the most high-profile cases in decades.
The ACT government said the inquiry would assess the ACT’s handling of criminal investigations to ensure prosecutions were “robust, fair” and respectful of those involved, after complaints and allegations were made in relation to the trial.
The government’s decision follows a claim from the ACT’s top prosecutor that ACT police officers pressured him to abandon the case.
Yet, no mention of the AFP’s claim that “there is too much political interference”? Or Higgins allegedly destroying potential evidence by refusing to hand police her original mobile phone, and deliberately deleting messages from a second phone?
At least the inquiry has cited the questionable conduct of ACT officials.
It will also look at the appropriateness of the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates aligning herself with the complainant, according to a government statement.
ABC Australia
The entire case has been a farce from start to finish, and very few involved can hold their heads up in any fashion.
The only certainty is that unscrupulous political sharks will continue to feed on its rotting corpse for as long as they can.