Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury today announced Victoria Engel SC will become the next ACT Director of Public Prosecutions and commence in the role in May 2024.
Ms Engel is Senior Counsel at the Northern Territory Bar before which she was Deputy Director of the NT Director of Public Prosecutions.
Ms Engel started her legal career with the NSW Legal Aid Commission as a Law Clerk before joining the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) NSW in 2007. During her time at ODPP NSW, Ms Engel progressed her career as a Crown Prosecutor and appeared in more than 40 complex trials.
From 2011 to 2012, Ms Engel spent 18 months working in the United Kingdom as both a Senior Solicitor with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, and a Prosecutor with the National Probation Trust.
Ms Engel joined the Northern Territory office of Director of Public Prosecutions in 2020 as the Principal Crown Prosecutor where she focused on trial and appeal work in the Supreme and Appeal courts. In this role, Ms Engel led substantial changes in the management of sexual assault cases.
In 2021 Ms Engel was appointed Deputy Director in 2021, a role she held until early 2024. As Deputy Director, Ms Engel oversaw a period of transition for the office and led the Crown Prosecution team, the Summary Prosecution team, and the Witness Assistance Service. Ms Engel was heavily involved in policy advice, as well as the provision of expert opinion to external stakeholders such as the Northern Territory Police, Independent Commissioner against Corruption, and other agencies.
Ms Engel was the President of the Australian Association of Crown Prosecutors (AACP) earlier in 2024.
As stated by Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury, MLA:
"I welcome the appointment of Ms Engel SC to the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions position as she is highly regarded for her years of criminal trial experience working on high-profile and complex trials.
"I am proud that the ACT is appointing our first female Director of Public Prosecutions, and I anticipate learning from her experiences in leading change in the criminal justice system in the Northern Territory.
"Anthony Williamson has done an outstanding job in acting in the position since 2023 and I would like to thank him for leading progressive changes in how the DPP and ACT Policing work together," he said.
As stated by Victora Engel SC:
"I am pleased to accept the position of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions and lead a strong and diverse team of prosecutors.
"I'm looking forward to getting on with the job of serving the ACT community, and working with the talented staff of the DPP, ACT Policing and other stakeholders to do so.
"An important part of my work as a prosecutor has been working closely with police, independent bodies and other agencies to ensure the criminal justice system is as effective possible for everyone involved in our processes.
"I will bring that same commitment to Canberra and focus on building strong connections so we deliver the best system we can for our local community.
"I'm grateful to Anthony Williamson SC for his leadership of the office as Acting Director since 2023."
