Brittany Higgins rape trial bombshell: Case could be dropped

The high-profile trial of accused Brittany Higgins rapist could be completed by the middle of next week, jurors have heard.

Ms Higgins alleges Bruce Lehrmann sexually assaulted her after a night of drinking in March 2019 in former Secretary of Defense Linda Reynolds’ office.

Mr. Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to one count of unconsensual sexual intercourse.

The jury trial was originally scheduled to last between four and six weeks, but the court heard Wednesday that the time limit is likely to be significantly reduced.

Prosecutor Shane Drumgold SC told the court: “We shortened the process.

“We expect to close the case in the first half of next week.”

Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann arrives at the ACT Supreme Court in Canberra on Wednesday

Earlier on Wednesday, the court had heard Ms Higgins would not be available until Friday, when cross-examination with defense attorney Steven Whybrow resumes.

Ms Higgins was due to complete her cross-examination on Monday but failed to appear in court this week.

The trial continued in her absence and the Crown called further witnesses.

However, the court prevented the release of all other evidence until Ms Higgins returned and completed her evidence.

The jury was told: “Ms Higgins will be returning on Friday morning, we will do our best to staff the remainder of today and tomorrow with witnesses.”

Last week Ms Higgins was brought to tears when she was grilled during cross-examination on the night in question, including when asked if she had vomit on her dress.

She also blew up in court when her defense attorney Steven Whybrow explained she had told Mr Dillaway, the police and her former boss Fiona Brown that she would be making doctor’s appointments to “back up” her story.

Ms Higgins responded loudly: “What you say is deeply offensive.”

“You are so wrong.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been through trauma before… It’s a confrontation, it’s very hard to do this. I was bedridden, I did my best. I completely disagree with everything you say.’

Brittany Higgins is pictured in court on Friday (in white) as she arrives on the fourth day of her rape trial against her former colleague

Mr Whybrow also questioned why she had not told anyone about the alleged attack for several days – despite being in touch with Mr Dillaway and her father via text message.

In the lyrics, Mr Dillaway and Ms Higgins engaged in light banter about tacos, margaritas and his recent trip from Queensland’s Gold Coast to Orange in NSW.

The only conclusion Ms Higgins drew about the alleged attack was when she wrote: “Haha just getting myself in trouble gotta keep that thing locked.”

Ms Higgins told the court: “I wasn’t ready to share, I played it out.”

In court, Ms Higgins said she “replied to his messages on autopilot like everything was fine”.

Earlier in the trial, Ms Higgins admitted deleting photos from her phone before turning it over to police – telling the court she wanted to “erase all the horrible parts of my life”.

Mr Whybrow told Ms Higgins that despite being asked to do so several times in 2021, she consistently refused to give her phone to the police.

Brittany Higgins arrives at the ACT Supreme Court in Canberra before taking the stand in the trial of her alleged rapist last Thursday

He suggested she had an appointment with the police on March 21, 2021 to hand over her phone, but she didn’t go to the appointment because of an “urgent legal matter … a defamation incident involving Ms. Reynolds,” he told the court .

“Ah yes,” Mrs. Higgins replied. “Lying cow. I remember,” she added, referring to reports Senator Reynolds called her “a lying cow” in February 2021.

Ms Higgins agreed she hadn’t turned in her phone for several weeks despite being asked, but broke down on the stand when she explained why.

“I was scared because [on the week of May 21] I have found that the moment I rejoined with the police, any politically sensitive matter that falls within the purview of the police will be reported to the Home Secretary,” she told the court

Ms Higgins said former Home Secretary Peter Dutton had information about her allegations before making her official statement to police.

“I was very scared,” she told the court.

“I sought legal advice to know my rights because I was afraid.”

The court also heard Ms Higgins taped the conversations after a six-hour interview with Lisa Wilkinson for The Project on February 2, 2021.

A potential $325,000 book deal with Lisa Wilkinson’s husband Peter FitzSimons was announced last week (Ms. Higgins is pictured with Ms. Wilkinson).

She said Ms Wilkinson and Ms Maiden had “argued” when their story would be published.

“Who got the exclusive drop for Walkley’s time to come, who could claim what, and so it wasn’t even about me or my story,” she told the court.

Ms Maiden won the Gold Walkley – Australian journalism’s highest award – in 2021, while Ms Wilkinson was awarded a Logie this year.

Mr Whybrow told her she did the interview to hurt the Liberal Party just ahead of an election, but Ms Higgins said she simply wanted to speak about a “cultural issue” in Parliament.

“I thought I’d do a print and a TV and then I’d go back to college and get out,” she explained.

Ms Higgins told the court the project’s presenter was “quite upset” when the interview aired on February 15 because it was a Monday and Ms Wilkinson did not normally work on Mondays.

After both stories fell, Ms Higgins told the court she had been inundated with media inquiries.

The process goes on.