Bruce Lehrmann in Bondi as Shane Drumgold stands aside amid inquiry over Brittany Higgins case

Bruce Lehrmann was all smiles as he visited a trendy Italian restaurant in eastern Sydney just hours after Shane Drumgold, ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions, temporarily resigned.

Mr Drumgold announced on Thursday morning that he was stepping down as a result of the inquiry into the handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations against the former Liberal staffer.

Mr Lehrmann was spotted at Bondi Trattoria around 1.30pm, having ditched his trademark dark suit and glasses in favor of jeans and a white shirt, when he met up with his friend Harry Hughes.

Mr Lehrmann met mate Harry Hughes, the nephew of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured)

An elderly woman trying to get up the stairs with a walker was assisted by Mr. Lehrmann

Hughes, the nephew of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, was talking on his phone as Mr Lehrmann helped an elderly woman up the stairs with a walker.

The pair then sat down at a window table looking relaxed as they laughed and chatted over coffee.

Mr Drumgold has come under pressure following questioning at the independent inquiry into how the ACT justice system handled rape allegations against Mr Lehrmann by another ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

An ACT government spokeswoman confirmed that Mr Drumgold had asked for leave.

Anthony Williamson, who was a DPP deputy, has been appointed by the ACT Chief Executive to act in the role of the area’s chief prosecutor until June 13.

ACT Attorney General Shane Rattenbury told ABC Radio that Mr Drumgold would be on leave for four weeks and expected to return in mid-June.

“In terms of the overall office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, it’s business as usual,” he said.

Hours earlier, the ACT’s top prosecutor, Shane Drumgold, resigned

Mr Drumgold under pressure after being questioned by an inquiry into the handling of rape allegations against Mr Lehrmann

The pair sat down at a window table looking relaxed as they joked and chatted

The case against Mr Lehrmann, who has denied the allegations, was dropped last year

mDrumgold told the Sofronoff Inquiry last week that his team had “closed ranks” against police because they believed the officers had lost objectivity in the case.

He has been a DPP since January 2019 and has been working at the DPP office since 2002.

The assault charge against Mr Lehrmann, who had denied the allegations, was dropped last year.

The investigation will continue next week, when police are expected to testify.

Mr Drumgold was questioned extensively during the inquiry last week and eventually admitted that he no longer believed there was political interference in the case.

Mr Drumgold said the problems he had had to do with the police’s incompetence in handling the investigation, the inquiry heard.

On December 2, when the case was dropped, Mr Drumgold told reporters: ‘During the investigation and trial, Ms Higgins, as a complainant of sexual assault, has suffered a level of personal assault that I have not seen in more than 20 years. years of doing this job. .’

“She did so with courage, grace and dignity, and I hope this will stop now and Mrs. Higgins will be able to heal.”

Mr Drumgold (pictured) is expected to return to the role on June 13

Mr Drumgold has come under pressure after questioning at the independent inquiry into how the ACT justice system handled rape allegations against Bruce Lehrmann by another ex-Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins (pictured)