Bruce Lehrmann: Identity of high-profile Australian charged with rape in Queensland is revealed after court fight… as allegations against ex-political staffer are detailed
A high-profile man accused of raping a woman in Queensland can now be identified as Bruce Lehrmann.
Mr Lehrmann was charged with two counts of rape in January this year following an alleged incident at a property in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in October 2021.
He could not be named or pictured at the time because laws in Queensland prohibited the media from publicly identifying alleged sex offenders unless the case was taken to court.
These laws were overturned last month, but Lehrmann’s lawyers applied for a non-publication order.
On October 13, Toowoomba magistrate Clare Kelly was about to lift the ban, but Mr Lehrmann’s lawyers intervened and said they would challenge the decision with a judicial review.
On Thursday, High Court Judge Peter Applegarth struck down the order – despite Mr Lehrmann’s lawyer, Andrew Hoare, arguing in court that his client was at increased risk of “catastrophic” self-harm, including suicide, if identified.
Bruce Lehrmann (photo) was pictured last October
Judge Applegarth said a high risk of self-harm did not mean a non-publication order was necessary.
“What can one think at this point about the state of the suspect’s psychology, and what protective measures are available to him to reduce that identified risk?” the judge said, according to a News Corp report.
‘I dare say that many people who come into contact with the criminal justice system have suicidal thoughts… the existence of suicidal thoughts is not necessarily sufficient to establish the level of unacceptable risk (to justify) a non-publication order .’
The alleged victim claimed she met Mr Lehrmann at Powerhouse nightclub before taking a taxi to a friend’s house.
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 (pictured) was accused of raping a woman in Toowoomba in 2021
Failure to wear a condom without a partner’s consent is considered sexual assault under Queensland law.
Six weeks later, the woman was surfing on her phone when she 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 was charged with two counts of rape on January 10.
It will be alleged in court that the pair spoke on Snapchat for a few days after the meeting but soon lost contact.
Police claim they have CCTV footage from the club showing the couple leaving together, and that the man has booked a taxi.