How Bruce Lehrmann’s relationship broke down after Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations
Bruce Lehrmann and his girlfriend broke up just days after Brittany Higgins went public with her rape allegations — after he sent her a series of texts about trumped-up conversations with his lawyer to “appease” her.
Mr Lehrmann is suing Channel 10 and news.com.au for libel over a TV interview and an online article, both published on 15 February 2021, in which Ms Higgins alleged that a ‘male colleague’ raped her in Parliament House in 2019 .
He was not mentioned in Ms Higgins’ interview with Lisa Wilkinson on The Project or in the article on the website, but claims his identity would have been known in political circles.
He has always denied having had any sexual contact with Mrs Higgins.
At an interim hearing in Federal Court on Thursday, Mr Lehrmann was questioned over reams of messages he sent to his then-partner, Greta Sinclair, who was “distraught” when she discovered the rape allegations were about him.
Mr Lehrmann said he was trying to make her feel better by fabricating information – falsely claiming he had ‘two lawyers’, could ‘make millions’ by suing for defamation, and that his lawyer said he was ‘ was part of a larger political hatchet’.
Speaking to lawyers for the network and the news website, he admitted those reports were untrue – “I was putting on a brave face for Ms. Sinclair in a way,” he told the court.
Courtroom documents showed that Ms Sinclair seemed calm through his messages – she replied, ‘I love you and we’ll get through this’.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured with his attorney, Rachel Fisher, outside the ACT Supreme Court in October as he went on trial
She also ordered him Chinese takeaway meals ‘if you’re hungry later’, and agreed to keep information about the allegations against Mr Lehrmann within their ‘close circle’.
However, Daily Mail Australia understands that the relationship ended within days.
The pair had only been together for about six months prior to February 15, 2021, but text messages between them earlier that day revealed that they appeared to be in a loving relationship.
At around 11:30am on the day the allegations aired, Ms Sinclair texted Mr Lehrmann to say she had ordered a BLAT sandwich for lunch, and asked if he could take March 10 off from work so they could have lunch at an expensive seafood restaurant in Sydney.
“If you can take it off and I pay the most, you can do Ubers,” she said.
Mr. Lehrmann said he would try to take the day off, to which Mrs. Sinclair replied, “Thanks dear, all right if you can’t, I’ll find something to do.”
Around 1pm she said, ‘Go for a walk xx’.
He replied, “Babe enjoys xx.”
An hour later, Mrs. Sinclair texted again to say, “You must be busy today!” Not many posts haha.’
At 2:11 p.m. she wrote, “Hope everything is okay.”
Three minutes later she added, “I love you.”
Text messages between Bruce Lehrmann and his ex-girlfriend the day Brittany Higgins went public with her rape allegations (Photo: A mock-up of the messages)
Over two hours between 2:10 pm and 5:00 pm that day, Mr. Lehrmann spoke to Ms. Sinclair to tell her about Ms. Higgins’ allegations.
He explained that he was “drinking a scotch” at his lawyer’s office.
“He’s very good,” Mr. Lehrmann said of the lawyer.
Mrs. Sinclair replied, “OK, good to hear.”
“I’ve been pretty upset… It’s scary.”
At that stage, Mr. Lehrmann began telling Ms. Sinclair that he could potentially make “millions” in a defamation case against Channel 10 and news.com.au.
Their last conversation for the evening was between 9pm and 9.40pm when Mr Lehrmann told Ms Sinclair that he felt ‘comfortable’ knowing that the conversation between him and the solicitor was ‘confidential’.
“Same as I told you, honey,” he added.
She replied, “Easy baby xx.”
At around 10:10 p.m., Mr. Lehrmann a friend to say ‘bags needed’.
Over the next half hour, he sent several texts to different people, saying “let’s get it done” and “no one has work tomorrow.”
Ms Higgins (pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court) alleged that Mr Lehrmann raped her. He denies the allegations
Another text indicated that someone was ‘paying’ and another said ‘let’s light it’.
The court documents were released by the Federal Court as part of the defamation lawsuit Mr. Lehrmann brought against the media in February. The intermission on Thursday was largely to address why it took him two years to launch the business.
Applicants normally have 12 months from publication to file a libel suit, but Mr. Lehrmann’s case was filed two years later.
His lawyers argued that it was unreasonable for him to start the case earlier.
Lawyers for the broadcaster and the news website argued that he should not be allowed to file a libel suit because it was reasonable that he had filed the lawsuit within the first year.
The hearing was postponed to March 23.
Bruce Lehrmann asked a friend if they had “equipment” and said he wanted to “get lit” the night Brittany Higgins’ interview aired
Bruce Lehrmann told his friends that he wanted to get “lit” because “no one had work tomorrow” on the night of February 15, 2021.
That was the same night Ms Higgins appeared on The Project claiming she was raped in Parliament House in 2019 by ‘a male colleague’ who was not named.
After his cross-examination in Federal Court on Thursday, court documents were made public with all the texts he sent and received the day the news broke.
A message log shows that the staffer spent the evening in his attorney Warwick Korn’s office drinking whiskey and watching Brittany Higgins’ interview with Lisa Wilkinson on The Project.
Mr. Lehmann texted his friend four consecutive texts, saying “need bags” and “let’s get it done.”
Further texts said ‘no one has work tomorrow’, another indicated someone ‘paid’ and another message said ‘let’s light it’.
About 20 minutes later, he texted a work friend saying “I have stuff,” but she replied urging them to “keep it clean.”
The former Liberal Party staffer told friends he wanted to get “lit” because “no one had work tomorrow” on the night of February 15, 2021. A mock-up of his WhatsApp messages is shown
He then texted another friend to say “come here it’s fine” followed by “how many bags?”
The court documents also reveal reports from early in the day when Mr Lehrmann found out about the news after a friend texted him with a link to the story asking if he was ‘this girl???’ knew.
Mr Lehrmann said he ‘worked with her briefly’ and ‘(she) was at team drinks etc’.
His friend replied that it was a “nice accusation” and asked if he “knew who the girl was.”
Mr. Lehrmann said he had no idea.
“I have not been approached by anyone,” he wrote.
About half an hour later another friend texted him asking ‘if there was any gossip about who the Canberra rapist is’ before adding ‘the yarn says ‘rising star’ so that rules out our friends but who else more?’.
He replied that he “had no idea at all” and that he had “not been approached by anyone” before saying he “assumed it would fizzle.”
‘She [Ms Higgins] is on the project tonight, which isn’t exactly prime time stuff,” he texted, before adding “they wouldn’t name, would they…pretty libelous stuff.”
His friend replied, “Well, it’s libelous.”