In March 2019, Bruce Lehrmann is accused of raping coworker Brittany Higgins in the office of then-defense industry minister Linda Reynolds at Parliament House.
A government employee claims she “refused at least six times” while a coworker reportedly raped her inside Australia’s Parliament House.
Brittany Higgins claims Bruce Lehrmann of committing rape against her in the early hours of March 23, 2019, following a night out drinking and clubbing with coworkers.
Lehrmann, 27, has pleaded not guilty to sexual contact without consent and is awaiting trial in the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 12 years in prison.
During the first day of the trial, prosecutor Shane Drumgold played Ms. Higgins’ police interview in which she stated, “I said no at least six times.”
“He did not stop. He continued going.”
Mr. Drumgold told the jury that Ms. Higgins, then 24 years old, and Mr. Lehrmann left their coworkers after a night out and took a taxi together.
He explained that Ms. Higgins believed she was on her way home, but Lehrmann wanted to retrieve some work at Parliament House.
Texts sent by the accuser to friend
Ms. Higgins claims that after entering the office of defense industries minister Linda Reynolds, she fell asleep on the sofa and awoke to discover Lehrmann having sexual relations with her.
Mr. Drumgold stated that Lehrmann had later left the building, and she had fallen back asleep.
Ms. Higgins stated in text messages to a friend after the alleged rape that she was “barely cognizant” at the time, which Mr. Drumgold deemed relevant to her capacity to consent to sex.
He stated that guards who had seen Ms. Higgins and Mr. Lehrmann enter the building had recognized that both were under the influence of alcohol.
The defense attorney cites Mark Twain.
Steven Whybrow, Lehrmann’s defense attorney, cited Mark Twain’s adage, “Never let the truth stand in the way of a good narrative,” stating that these words rang true in this case.
He stated that Ms. Higgins’ version of events had “huge flaws” and that, even though violence against women is an “under-reported and under-prosecuted scourge of our society,” her story was false.
The trial’s presiding judge, chief justice Lucy McCallum, has cautioned jurors to stay unbiased while hearing and deliberating over the case, which has received extensive media coverage since it came to light.
The trial is anticipated to last up to six weeks and will feature the testimony of three former government ministers.
