BRITTANY TAKES THE STAND

THE FORMER LIBERAL STAFFER GIVES EVIDENCE IN THE RAPE TRIAL OF BRUCE LEHRMANN

Nearly 20 months after she first went public with allegations she was raped by a colleague inside Parliament House, Brittany Higgins has given evidence for the first time about what she says happened that night.

Former parliamentary staffer Higgins, 27, alleges her former colleague Bruce Lehrmann, 27, raped her while she was heavily intoxicated on March 23, 2019, on the couch in the office of Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds.

Lehrmann, then a former senior government advisor, has been charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent. He has pleaded not guilty.

The accused, Bruce Lehrmann.

The ACT Supreme Court has heard that on the night of the alleged rape, Higgins attended an after-work drinks session with colleagues, including Lehrmann, at Canberra pub The Dock and nightclub 88mph.

Over more than four hours, Higgins consumed 11 drinks, some of which were bought by Lehrmann, leaving her “as drunk as she had ever been”, the court heard.

She and Lehrmann, both then 24, shared a taxi from 88mph and stopped by Parliament House around 1.30am after Lehrmann allegedly said he had to pick up something for work.