Bruce Emery Lehrmann

For events leading up to the trial see the Timeline of Brittany Higgins Alleged Rape.

Charges

Bruce Lehrmann is charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent.

4 October 2022

The trial of Bruce Lehrman begins in the Australian Capital Territory. Brittany Higgins took the stand and, between tears, stated that she had a "strange adversarial relationship" with Bruce Lehrman. Text messages and CCTV footage have been presented to the court. A total of 47 witnesses will present evidence during the trial that is expected to take 4-6 weeks.

The defence pointed out inconsistencies between Higgins' account of events and that of a female security guard that found her alone in an office in Parliament House.

5 October 2022

Brittany Higgins again took the stand during the second day of the trial. Higgins admitted that she did not seek medical attention despite later claiming to have been raped by Bruce Lehrman. Higgins stated that she took a pregnancy test two weeks after the she and Bruce Lehrman went to parliament house together.

Higgins claims that earlier in the evening Bruce Lehrman had tried to kiss her but that she had rebuffed him.

Texts between Higgins and her ex-boyfriend Ben Dillaway were tendered to the court. The context seems to pertain to the the security breach with Higgins expressing concern that she may lose her job.

6 October 2022

Higgins claimed that she kept the dress she had worn during the alleged rape under her bed for six months. The court was then shown a photograph of her wearing it a few weeks later.

Higgins was questioned about her interactions with Lisa Wilkinson and in particular if she had arranged to record an interview.

7 October 2022

Higgins admits deleting texts relevant to the police investigation before providing her phone to police.

Higgins also stated that she "made a mistake" in her testimony when she said she put the dress in a plastic bag and put it under her bed for six months.

https://www.news.com.au/national/courts-law/brittany-higgins-struggling-during-cross-examination-in-bruce-lehrmann-rape-trial/news-story/6dc0c6683ca6277671d72acff171d980

It was stated during the trial that Higgins told a representative of her employer that she intended to visit a doctor following the allegation that she was raped but that she did not do this.

https://www.news.com.au/national/courts-law/brittany-higgins-struggling-during-cross-examination-in-bruce-lehrmann-rape-trial/news-story/6dc0c6683ca6277671d72acff171d980

Higgins admitted under cross-examination that she knew that her partner, David Sharaz, had provided documents to journalists before she was interviewed by police.

Sharaz is himself a journalist.

10 October 2022

Higgins is unavailable to give evidence. The court proceeded with hearing other evidence however the mainstream media is barred from reporting on this testimony.

A non-publication order is in place until Higgins has completed her testimony.

11 October 2022

Higgins is again unavailable to give evidence. The court has continued hearing other evidence however the mainstream media is still barred from reporting on this testimony.

A non-publication order is in place until Higgins has completed her testimony.

12 October 2022

Higgins is expected to resume giving evidence on Friday 14 October 2022.

Today jurors were informed that the the trial is expected to conclude early.

A non-publication order is in place until Higgins has completed her testimony.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11306203/Brittany-Higgins-Bruce-Lehrmann-trial-Forensic-expert-finds-NO-trace-semen-cocktail-dress.html

13 October 2022

A non-publication order is in place until Higgins has completed her testimony.

14 October 2022

Higgins again gave testimony, this time addressing Bruce Lehrman directly.

The witness list has been reduced from 52 to 32.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-14/brittany-higgins-returns-to-court-bruce-lehrmann-trial/101534848

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-14/parliamentary-witnesses-give-evidence-in-lehrmann-trial/101532580

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-14/rape-trial-shown-bruce-lehrmann-police-interview/101530814

https://www.9news.com.au/national/brittany-higgins-bruce-lehrmann-alleged-rape-trial-continues/59651db6-0491-4e28-88d6-043a541d9cd3

Testimony from a security guard indicates that Lehrmann was only in the minister's office for about 20 minutes.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/brittany-higgins-final-day-in-witness-box/ar-AA12VIzx

Bruce Lehrmann denies even being in the office in which it is alleged that he had sexual intercourse with Brittany Higgins without consent.

See Also

• Brittany Higgins
• Timeline of Brittany Higgins Alleged Rape