Bruce Lehrmann said: 'I don't want to get into that' when asked what he was doing in Parliament House at 1.30am
Network Ten barrister Matthew Collins KC began his closing remarks on Thursday by telling Judge Michael Lee that he should be satisfied that the defense of the truth has been successful.
He said: 'If it is proven to your honor that sexual intercourse took place, what happened here is monstrous. Absolutely monstrous.”
“According to (Brittany) Higgins 'there is a vivid description of sexual assault, according to Mr Lehrmann there is no sexual activity, consensual or otherwise,' he said.
'And that is why your honest assessment of the credibility and reliability of the two protagonists is central.'
He told the court that Mr Lehrmann was 'not at all interested in providing an honest account of the events of March 22 and 23, 2019'.
Dr. Collins also argued that Mr. Lehrmann had used the “court to defend his reputation regarding a report of an event” and “knowingly provided false evidence regarding almost every significant integer relating to that event.” '
He explained that Mr Lehrmann's first instinct was when he met with his boss, Fiona Brown, on March 26, 2019 – three days after the alleged assault – and pointed out that Ms Brown took notes shortly after that meeting.
When Ms Brown asked what else he did when he entered Parliament House with Ms Higgins after hours that evening, he said: “I don't want to go into that.”
Dr. Collins also pointed to evidence from their former colleague who told the court she saw Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann passionately kissing in a nightclub just hours before the alleged assault.
“Mr Lehrmann was attracted to Ms Higgins, he asked her out for a drink but they passed by,” Dr Collins said.
“Mr Lehrmann had a girlfriend at home, Ms Higgins has a flatmate, they have access to Parliament House.”