A series of screenshots presented to the Federal Court show how friends of Bruce Lehrmann reacted after The Project’s now infamous interview first aired.
Mr Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, is suing Network Ten and ex-Project presenter Lisa Wilkinson over a TV interview in which Ms Higgins alleged she was raped. He appeared in federal court on Thursday on the second day of his defamation trial.
Mr Lehrmann told the court that he was ‘booted’ from a Facebook group during the week of February 15, 2021 – when the interview with The Project aired.
A screenshot tendered in court showed nine people leaving a group chat with Mr Lehrmann after the TV show aired.
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Bruce Lehrmann (left) appeared in the Federal Court on Thursday on the second day of his libel trial against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson
Mr Lehrmann said he was kicked out of social media group chats after The Project interview aired on February 15, 2021. The screenshot above shows nine people leaving his group chat after the show aired
“I remember logging into my social media accounts to close them because of the media outcry,” Lehrmann said.
Referring to Facebook, he told the court: ‘I was removed from group chats and blocked in groups, my friend count was reduced which meant people had unfriended me.’
‘When I was removed from these groups, [the administrators] would highlight on the messenger app that I had been removed,” he said.
Mr. Lehrmann also explained that he was left as the only member of another group chat after all other members removed themselves.
In the chat, which consisted of National Party supporters, Mr Lehrmann said someone had posted a “ejected” photo.
In a text message exchange, Mr Lehrmann was asked by a friend if they could call him, to which he replied: ‘Maybe not tonight mate’.
“As your partner, I must call you brother,” the friend replied.
Mr Lehrmann then said: ‘I’m trying to call you mate’.
Mr Lehrmann said: ‘When I was removed from these groups, [the administrators] would highlight in the messenger app that I had been deleted’
A screenshot of a conversation between Mr. Lehrmann and a friend (Mr. Lehrmann’s answers are in blue)
When asked about the impact The Project broadcast had on his life, Mr Lehrmann told the court: ‘The Project has completely destroyed me.’
“Everything stemmed from that: losing friends, finances, parts of my family not bothering to contact me.
‘It has destroyed large parts of my life.’
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Also on Thursday, Mr Lehrmann told the Federal Court he “went into a spiral” after reading an article on news.com.au at about 8am on February 15, 2021, which detailed the rape allegations against Brittany Higgins described.
He did not know at the time that the allegations concerned him, but had decided to read the story because of its political content.
He told the court he recognized Ms Higgins’ name because they were colleagues, saying: ‘I was shocked, as was everyone else.’
He knew the allegations were about him around 2pm that day when a News Corp journalist, Rosie Lewis, contacted his employer, who at the time was British American Tobacco.
Mr Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and ex-Project presenter Lisa Wilkinson (second from left) over a broadcast in which Ms Higgins claimed she was raped
Ms Lewis said she heard he was the alleged rapist and asked if he or his employer had any comment.
“I was called to a meeting after having lunch,” Mr Lehrmann told the court.
“I was shown Mrs. Lewis’s email.
“She indicated in that email that she had heard from government sources that I was the alleged person identified from media reporting that morning, and whether my company had a response or through them, I received a response. ‘
He also told his girlfriend about the situation and called criminal defense attorney Rick Korn.
When asked how he felt after that point, Mr. Lehrmann said, “I was in a complete spiral.”
He said Mr Korn also “tried to control my emotions” and became suicidal later that week.
Mr Lehrmann has always denied allegations that he raped Brittany Higgins and no findings have been made against him.