ACT government settles with Senator Linda Reynolds over comments made by top prosecutor during Bruce Lehrmann trial

Senator Linda Reynolds has received an apology from the ACT government and $90,000 in damages.  (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

The ACT government has paid Senator Linda Reynolds $90,000 and issued an apology for comments made by former Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold.

The Liberal senator sued the ACT government and Mr Drumgold over a letter he penned to the Australian Federal Police during Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial.

Mr Lehrmann had been on trial for the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins at Parliament House, but the trial was abandoned due to juror misconduct, leaving no findings against him. Mr Lehrmann maintains his innocence.

ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the ACT government had reached a compromise settlement with Senator Reynolds that included $70,000 in damages and $20,000 in legal fees.

“The territory has accepted that allegations about Senator Reynolds made by the former DPP were found by the board of inquiry to be defamatory,” he said.

“The settlement does include a formal apology from the territory.

“That apology is made by the director-general of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate on behalf of the ACT government.”

Mr Rattenbury said he now considered the matter to be settled.

“The territory has given certain undertakings that the material that was previously published will not be published again, unless required to by law,” he said.