Lehrmann inquiry head Walter Sofronoff engaged in ‘serious corrupt conduct’ , review finds

Former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff engaged in “serious corrupt conduct”, the ACT Integrity Commission has found, after reviewing his inquiry into the prosecution of Bruce Lehrmann.

The commission released a report on Wednesday into Sofronoff’s conduct as a Board of Inquiry into the prosecution.

It found that “Sofronoff’s conduct fell within several elements of the definition of ‘corrupt conduct’”, through his disclosures to two journalists: Janet Albrechtsen at The Australian newspaper and Elizabeth Byrne at the ABC.

The report found that “[Sofronoff’s] disclosure of confidential material to journalists contrary to the obligations of confidentiality prescribed by the Inquiries Act could have amounted to offences against the Inquiries Act”.

“The disclosures were dishonestly concealed from persons involved in the Inquiry, in particular [prosecutor Shane] Drumgold and the [ACT] chief minister, which prevented them taking protective legal action.”

The report said Sofronoff “claimed that his conduct complied with the requirements of the Inquiries Act, and that he had acted in the public interest to ensure the media were adequately informed about the issues being investigated by his Inquiry and in a position to comment accurately about them.

“However, the commission concludes that he had not, in fact, acted in good faith and that his conduct, amounting to corrupt conduct within the meaning of the IC Act, undermined the integrity of the Board’s processes and the fairness and probity of its proceedings to such an extent as to have been likely to have threatened public confidence in the integrity of that aspect of public administration. It therefore constituted serious corrupt conduct.”

More details to follow