EXCLUSIVE
Brittany Higgins has shared a powerful message of solidarity with Bruce Lehrmann’s alleged victim, claiming her heart broke for the woman after he was exposed as the high-profile man accused of rape in Queensland.
But shortly after Ms Higgins’ Instagram statement on Sunday, Mr Lehrman revealed to Daily Mail Australia that it contained a crucial error.
Mr Lehrmann was charged with two counts of rape in January this year following an alleged incident following a night out at a strip club in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in October 2021.
He is accused of twice failing to wear a condom during sex with a young woman.
In Queensland, ‘stealing’ or having unprotected sex without the consent of a sexual partner is considered sexual assault.
Brittany Higgins (pictured above) has shared a powerful message of solidarity with Bruce Lehrmann’s alleged victim, claiming her heart broke for her after he was exposed as the high-profile man accused of rape in Queensland (statement below)
Despite Higgins’ claim, Mr Lehrmann had not been granted bail in the lead-up to his aborted trial in October 2022. He had only been released on bail after the mistrial in connection with the Queensland matter.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured in Sydney’s eastern suburbs at Bondi Trattoria in May
It could not be reported until Thursday when he lost a lawsuit to keep his identity secret.
Mr. Lehrmann has not entered a plea to the charges but denies the allegations. Daily Mail Australia understands he intends to plead not guilty.
Ms Higgins, who claims Lehrmann raped her at Parliament House in 2019, has now broken her silence on the latest revelations to express her condolences for the alleged victim – and to criticize the media for ‘championing’ him.
“When I first heard about the alleged assault my heart broke for you,” Ms. Higgins wrote on Instagram, appearing to address the alleged victim.
“To know that this allegedly occurred while he was out on bail in 2021 is devastating.
“I don’t know that you decided to come forward, despite the fact that you have been horribly in the media for this person all year long.”
Despite Higgins’ claim, Lehrmann had not been released on bail ahead of his aborted trial in October 2022.
He had only been released on bail after the mistrial in connection with the Queensland matter.
“I would like to note that if Ms. Higgins is going to try again to undermine the human right to a fair trial and further discredit me, at least get your facts straight before posting,” Mr.
Lehrmann said.
The Queensland woman claims she met Mr Lehrmann on a night out that started when she joined friends at the Powerhouse music venue in Toowoomba.
After drinking with friends, she went to a strip club called The Vault, where she drank more alcohol and met Mr. Lehrmann.
Mr. Lehrmann is said to have introduced himself as “Bryce.”
Later, police allege the woman took a taxi to his friend’s house with Mr. Lehrmann.
They had sex once that night and twice in the morning, but the woman claims the last two times were not consensual because he was reportedly not wearing a condom.
Bruce Lehrmann lost a major legal battle to keep his identity secret in a high-profile rape case
Judge Applegarth claimed Lehrmann’s decision to take part in a Spotlight interview with Channel Seven (pictured) was at odds with his lawyer’s claims that media coverage of the new allegations could damage his mental health.
The couple allegedly used cocaine during their night out, according to a court letter. The Australian reported.
Laws in Queensland that banned the media from publicly identifying alleged sex offenders unless the case was taken to court were overturned last month.
Details of the alleged rape were revealed after High Court Judge Peter Applegarth on Thursday lifted a non-publication order banning the media from publicly identifying Lerhmann.
Police will allege the woman told Lehrmann she needed a morning-after pill and he agreed to take her to a farm pharmacy.
She then allegedly asked Mr. Lehrmann to take her home and he stopped at McDonald’s along the way.
It will be alleged in court that the pair exchanged messages on Snapchat for a few days after the meeting, but soon lost contact.
Weeks later, the woman was reportedly talking to a friend’s mother about the Brittany Higgins case when she looked for details on her phone and saw Mr. Lehrmann’s photo — and recognized him as the same person who allegedly had sex with her.
The woman reported the incident to police the next day before making a formal statement.
Lehrmann has always denied having any sexual contact with former colleague Brittany Higgins (above). Last year he faced a trial in the ACT Supreme Court, which was abandoned
Police claim they have CCTV footage from the strip club showing the couple leaving together, and that the man has booked a taxi.
The night out in Toowoomba came weeks after Mr Lehrmann appeared in an ACT court on unrelated allegations that he raped then parliamentary colleague Brittany Higgins in 2019.
He pleaded not guilty in that case and was never convicted. He has always maintained that he never had sex with Ms Higgins.
Lehrmann’s lawyers had tried to argue that publishing his name would have serious consequences for his mental health and increase the risk of him causing “catastrophic” harm to himself.
But Judge Applegarth made a bold move on Thursday when he decided to dismiss the non-publication order.
He claimed Mr Lehrmann’s decision to take part in a Spotlight interview with Channel Seven was at odds with his lawyer’s claims that media coverage of the new allegations could damage his mental health.
“A cynic might say, ‘I hope Channel Seven paid him, or his lawyers, a lot of money’, especially because of the impact it had on his application,” Applegarth said in court on Thursday.
The judge added that while the name would “weigh heavily” on Mr Lehrmann, the “unfortunate effect on his mental health” was not sufficient reason to uphold the non-publication order.