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Welcome to our rolling protection of Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation swimsuit in opposition to Community 10 and Lisa Wilkinson.
Comply with the most recent information and updates from the listening to right this moment.
Bruise bombshell: Ex-boyfriend says ‘I by no means noticed it’
Brittany Higgins ex-boyfriend Ben Dillaway has revealed he by no means noticed a bruise on Ms Higgins thigh within the days after the alleged rape.
Bruce Lehrmann has beforehand questioned the authenticity of the bruise on the Highlight program suggesting it could have been fabricated which was “fairly sick.”
“It could seem that she’s provided that to The Venture to boost the weaponisation of her sexual assault allegation,” Mr Lehrmann mentioned.
“It’s fairly sick.”
Within the Federal Courtroom on Thursday, Mr Dillaway mentioned he travelled to Canberra to help Ms Higgins within the week after the alleged rape from Melbourne.
Ms Higgins additionally stayed the night time at a resort with Mr Dillaway whereas they mentioned what had occurred.
“And also you have been staying on the Burberry?,‘’ Bruce Lehrmann’s barrister Steve Whybrow requested.
“Sure,‘’ Mr Dillaway replied.
“And also you noticed Miss Higgins over the next two nights?
“Sure.”
“And she or he stayed at your resort for at the least a kind of nights?”.
“I imagine so. Sure,‘’ Mr Dillaway replied.
“And is it the case that you just don’t have any recollection of seeing any bruises or marks on her physique?,‘’ Mr Whybrow requested.
“Right. I can not recall seeing a bruise. But additionally I can not recall if I’d have seen her the place I’d have seen a bruise.”
Mr Whybrow requested if it was the case that at no stage did she seek advice from a bruise on her physique of their texts or discussions. He requested that if the primary he discovered of the bruise was on account of The Venture.
“Most likely. I don’t recall discussing a bruise,‘’ he mentioned.
Beneath questioning from Lehrmann’s counsel Steven Whybrow SC, Ms Higgins conceded the picture of the bruise, which she mentioned was taken in April 2019, might not have been sustained within the alleged intercourse assault.
“It’s attainable that it was brought on by falling up the steps,” she mentioned.
‘Blow the entire thing up’: Ex boyfriend’s warning
Brittany Higgins’ ex-boyfriend Ben Dillaway has informed the Federal Courtroom he contacted Scott Morrison’s workplace in 2019 to get Ms Higgins “assist” after the alleged rape and thought they’d realise if it grew to become public it could “blow the entire thing up”.
The Prime Minister’s workplace has persistently denied it was alerted or tipped off concerning the alleged rape till two years later.
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has beforehand confirmed he first discovered of the allegation when information.com.au broke the story in February, 2021.
However Mr Dillaway informed the Federal Courtroom that he contacted a member of the then Prime Minister’s workplace within the hope of dashing up her entry to help providers.
Mr Dillaway, additionally a former Liberal staffer, informed the court docket he spoke to a staffer within the workplace concerning the incident on April 3, 2019 with Ms Higgins’ permission.
“She was glad for me to proceed,’’ Mr Dillaway mentioned.
“So I despatched her that remaining message earlier than I then reached out to the Prime Minister’s workplace to make sure she was comfy with me doing so.
“And who was your contact within the Prime Minister’s workplace?” Ten’s barrister Matt Collins KC mentioned.
“Julian Leembrugen,” Mr Dillaway mentioned.
“I despatched him a textual content message…saying I had one thing fairly critical to debate with him and he provided for me to come back down and meet with him within the workplace.”
“Did you report again to Ms Higgins?” Dr Collins requested.
“I did. I despatched her a textual content message as a readout of that assembly,” Mr Dillaway mentioned.
“I reached out to the Prime Minister’s Workplace within the hope of getting Brittany assist. She’d been telling me that she was not doing effectively. She wasn’t coping. There’s an extended watch for counselling.
“I assumed if I reached out to somebody such because the Prime Minister’s workplace that would pace issues up.
“I assumed they’d see somebody that was in ache and struggling and wanted assist. I assumed they’d see the political crucial that if Ms Higgins went public in the course of the election, which was developing, it might blow the entire thing up. So I assumed they’d be motivated at the least by that, to wrap their arms round her, look after her, and ensure she received the assistance.”
‘Barely lucid’: Brittany’s texts to ex
Mr Dillaway has given proof to the Federal Courtroom concerning the texts he exchanged together with her after the night time of the alleged rape the place she initially mentioned it was “simply the same old shenanigans”.
Just a few days later, she informed him issues had “not performed out” like she recommended and he or she feared she was about to lose her job. She then alleged she was “barely lucid” and was raped.
Mr Dillaway has informed the Federal Courtroom that when she informed him the day after the incident she had “kicked on” at Parliament Home after an evening consuming he thought it was “very unusual”.
“I assumed that was fairly unusual. I’d labored in that constructing as an adviser for numerous years and you’d nearly by no means return to Parliament to hold on or social gathering as she had referenced it,” he mentioned.
“So I assumed that was very unusual, so I began to query her a bit about it.”
However Mr Dillaway mentioned Ms Higgins was “cagey” and ended the dialog abruptly.
The court docket additionally heard texts exchanged between the pair all through March 23, 2019 wherein Ms Higgins tells him that her night time out had concerned “simply the usual shenanigans”.
She then met together with her boss Fiona Brown on the Tuesday after the allged rape, who revealed she had been discovered within the workplace by safety.
Within the week after the alleged sexual assault, Ms Higgins then informed Mr Dillaway the night “didn’t play out how I made out”.
“I don’t bear in mind getting there in any respect, vaguely bear in mind Bruce being there after which I awoke within the morning half dressed on my own within the Minister’s workplace on Saturday morning,” she wrote.
“So he f**ked you? I hope you’re okay. That is fairly critical, horrible stuff. You most likely have to report this,” Mr Dillaway responded.
Ms Higgins mentioned she didn’t need the incident to grow to be public data.
Higgins’ plea to her ex
Mr Dillaway informed the Federal Courtroom she by no means needed to be generally known as “the woman that was raped in Parliament”.
“She had issues about changing into generally known as the woman who was raped in Parliament,’’ Mr Dillaway mentioned.
“And she or he was apprehensive about the way it might have an effect on her job and her profession.”
Justice Michael Lee then requested the witness, “She mentioned that to you?”
“I imagine so,” Mr Dillaway responded.
Mr Dillaway mentioned he additionally inspired her to see a health care provider.
“I inspired her to see a health care provider, to get examined, in case you picked up any STDs or something like that,” he mentioned.
“Simply to create a file of getting seen a health care provider so then if she needed to pursue motion down the observe. It was like, you already know, making a proof level of that.”
Mr Dillaway mentioned she indicated she would. She later confirmed in a textual content message she had.
However Ms Higgins has beforehand given proof she made appointments however by no means went to see a health care provider.
Walkley Basis strips Highlight of nomination
Channel 7’s Highlight program has been stripped of its nomination as a finalist for a Walkley Award over failing to completely disclose funds to Mr Lehrmann.
This system presenter Liam Bartlett, government producer Mark Llewellyn and producer Steve Jackson have been finalists within the Scoop of the 12 months award.
In an announcement, the Walkley Basis mentioned it had reviewed paperwork uploaded to the Federal Courtroom this week which present an exclusivity settlement made between Seven and Mr Lehrmann that offered for 12 months of lodging.
“Following a overview of those paperwork, The Walkley Basis Board has come to the unanimous conclusion that the Seven Highlight story “Trial and Error” was not eligible for consideration within the All Media Scoop of the 12 months class for the 2023 Walkley Awards because the entry didn’t precisely describe the extent of advantages offered to Mr Lehrmann in trade for interviews, info and unique entry,’’ a spokesperson mentioned.
The Walkley Basis has revoked the story’s finalist standing within the 68th Walkley Awards.
This system Trial and Error featured unique CCTV, textual content messages and paperwork that have been within the transient of proof for the legal trial however by no means launched publicly and offered to Seven by individuals unknown.
‘Are you accusing me of mendacity beneath oath?’
A former ministerial staffer Nikita Irvine clashed with Mr Lehrman’s barrister Steve Whybrow after declaring “I imagine” Ms Higgins earlier than asking him to make clear if he was accusing her of mendacity beneath oath.
Defence Business Minister Linda Reynolds’ former aide de camp Ms Irvine was cross examined on Thursday over her night time out consuming with Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins on the night time of the alleged rape.
Ms Irvine maintained she had a very good reminiscence of the night time in query and the aftermath when she mentioned Ms Higgins disclosed an alleged rape to her at Parliament Home within the week after the incident.
The Federal Courtroom was informed that Ms Irvine didn’t take notes of the conversations as a result of she needed to guard Ms Higgins confidentiality.
Ms Irvine was at The Dock consuming on the night time of the alleged rape and was additionally buddies with Lauren Acquire who went to the nightclub known as 88MPH afterwards.
“So because it was made public, you and Ms Acquire, have spoken about this matter which concerned colleagues of yours and have become fairly a excessive profile method?,” Mr Whybrow requested.
“Sure, we’ve,” Ms Irvine mentioned.
“Has Ms Acquire informed you that she believes Brittany?,” Mr Whybrow requested.
“I imagine she has. She believes Brittany,’’ Ms Irvine replied.
“And is that your angle as effectively?,” Mr Whybrow mentioned.
“I do. I imagine Brittany,” she mentioned.
The week after the alleged incident, Ms Irvine obtained a textual content from Ms Acquire stating “Brittany and Bruce connected”.
She was then informed by a colleague Chris Payne there was an incident within the workplace involving Bruce Lehrmann and he now not labored there.
Mr Whybrow then probed Ms Irvine on why she requested to take a stroll with Ms Higgins and the way she knew the alleged incident concerned Ms Higgins.
“I don’t know, perhaps as a result of she was very upset that day and he or she was very down and perhaps I put two and two collectively,” she mentioned.
“Or perhaps you’re simply saying issues since you imagine that she was the sufferer of a rape and also you’re ready to say proof in help of that,” Mr Whybrow retorted.
“So are you accusing me of mendacity beneath oath?” Ms Irvine requested.
“I’m not accusing you, I’m placing to you that perhaps there are unconscious additions to your proof,” Mr Whybrow responded.
Ms Irvine rejected this proposition.
“I don’t imagine there’s any unconscious additions to my proof. I’ve gone via every thing very totally, and I’ve tried to separate issues I’ve discovered since, and issues that I knew then,” Ms Irvine mentioned.
Don’t speak to Bruce: Linda Reynolds
Channel Ten’s barrister Matt Collins KC requested Ms Irvine a few telephone name she witnessed Defence Business Linda Reynolds tackle the Tuesday after the alleged rape from her chief of employees.
It was on at the present time that the chief of employees Fiona Brown discovered of a late night time incident the place Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann entered the ministerial suite after hours.
She had met with Mr Lehrmann and requested him to complete up and pack up his desk. He was planning to maneuver on anyway however he was not terminated till the next month.
At this stage, Ms Brown had simply came upon that Ms Higgins had been discovered bare within the workplace.
Ms Irvine then obtained a name from Ms Brown within the afternoon who mentioned she urgently wanted to talk to Senator Reynolds after cupboard.
“The Minister took a telephone name in Brisbane?,” Mr Collins requested.
“Sure,” Ms Irvine replied.
“I obtained a telephone name from Fiona Brown telling me that the minister must name her ASAP.
“We needed to depart ASAP. We had all our baggage prepared. Linda Reynolds got here up after she had hung up the telephone and he or she simply mentioned to Jesse (Wotton) have you ever spoken to Bruce or have you ever had any conversations with Bruce?
“And Jesse mentioned no and he or she mentioned ‘you’re not allowed to speak to Bruce’.”
Mr Wotton was a ministerial staffer on the time and a good friend of Mr Lehrmann’s who labored in the identical workplace. He’s now the deputy Liberal Occasion director in WA.
‘Dangerous vibes’ on Bruce Lehrmann
Ms Irvine has given proof that she received “unhealthy vibes” from Bruce Lehrmann and didn’t need to spend time with him.
Ms Irvine, who was out for drinks at The Dock on the night time of the alleged rape, mentioned she went house on the conclusion of the drinks when the pub closed and didn’t need to proceed on to the nightclub 88MPH.
“As a result of I don’t like mixing work with like … I wouldn’t exit to a membership with individuals I work with,” she mentioned.
Ms Irvine mentioned she additionally received “unhealthy vibes” from Mr Lehrmann and knew he was shifting on from the workplace.
“Yeah, and I simply, after I began that workplace I had unhealthy vibes on Bruce,” she mentioned.
“He’s not the type of individual I’d have socialised with in order that’s most likely why I mentioned that.”
Dr Collins requested Ms Irvine, “Simply clarify what you imply by unhealthy vibes.”
“Properly, I feel he thought he was shifting on,” she mentioned.
“It’s girls’s instinct. Dr Collins, I’m sorry. I simply didn’t actually need to spend time with him.”
The week after the weekend drinks, Ms Irvine was informed by one other employees member Chris Payne that there had been an incident within the workplace involving Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins and that he now not labored there.
Later, she went for a stroll with Ms Hihhins on the Wednesday or Thursday after the alleged rape.
“Have you ever heard what’s occurred?,” Ms Higgins requested her.
Ms Irvine mentioned that Ms Higgins indicated that “Bruce and I have been in an Uber to go house and he needed to come back again to Parliament Home.”
“He mentioned he had some whiskey to point out me or one thing,” Ms Irvine mentioned of what Ms Higgins informed her.
Ms Irvine mentioned Ms Higgins informed her: “I fell asleep on the sofa and I awoke and he was on high of me.”
“And I mentioned, ‘Okay, was it…’ and I paused and he or she mentioned, ‘yeah, undoubtedly.’”
“And I took that to imply it was an assault,” Ms Irvine mentioned.
“I requested if she’d spoken to the minister or Fiona Brown about it but. At that stage she had spoken to Fiona, however had not but spoken to the Minister. I’m assured that police have been talked about in that assembly.”
Ms Irvine mentioned that she spoke to the chief of employees Fiona Brown concerning the dialog. She mentioned Ms Brown informed her, “Sure it is vitally disconcerting.”
She additionally informed her boss Senator Reynolds on a aircraft.
She mentioned Senator Reynolds indicated that she “felt sick and nothing like that has ever occurred to me”.
Ms Higgins later informed her she wasn’t pursuing a police criticism as a result of it could take a very long time and be traumatic.
“The police had informed her it could take a extremely very long time to get to court docket. It could be emotionally taxing on her and it could be tough to succeed in a conviction of Bruce for what occurred.”
Mr Lehrmann denies raping Ms Higgins.
Higgins discovered ‘utterly bare’, ‘gown thrown on the ground’
A former parliamentary safety guard Nikola Anderson has given proof that she discovered Ms Higgins utterly bare within the minister’s workplace on the night time of the alleged rape and her gown “simply seemed prefer it had been taken off and thrown on the ground”.
Ms Anderson gave proof within the Federal Courtroom right this moment concerning the second she walked Mr Lehrmann and Ms Higgins to the ministerial suite and unlocked the door.
She later carried out a welfare verify on Ms Higgins after Mr Lehrmann exited the constructing.
“Are you able to recall if the gown was folded?” Mr Lehrmann’s barrister Mr Whybrow requested.
“It simply seemed prefer it had been taken off and thrown on the ground,’’ Ms Anderson mentioned.
“And also you didn’t have any issues, in relation to while you have been doing a welfare verify, at that stage? You say the lady opened her eyes and checked out you. Did she converse to you?”
“No. She rolled over into the foetal place and confronted the desk,’’ Ms Anderson mentioned.
Ms Anderson mentioned she didn’t observe the lady to be in any hassle, or misery.
What’s taking place right this moment
Two safety guards who labored at Parliament Home on the night time Ms Higgins alleged she was raped will give proof within the Federal Courtroom on Thursday.
Ms Anderson and Mark Fairweather, have been known as to present proof by Community Ten.
Ms Anderson is the safety guard who found Ms Higgins bare within the workplace of Defence Business Minister Linda Reynolds within the early hours of March 23, 2019.
She had beforehand given proof within the legal trial in October, 2022.
She was additionally interviewed by the ABC’s 4 Corners Program in March, 2021 after the story first broke.
Justice Lee, mentioned the proposed witness record on Wednesday and expressed shock that Ms Higgins’ fiancé David Sharaz won’t be known as to give proof.
“You’re not calling him?” Justice Lee requested.
Channel Ten’s barrister Matt Collins KC indicated to the court docket that Mr Sharaz was not round in 2019, when the alleged incident occurred.
“He was not on the scene in 2019,” Mr Collins mentioned.
Mr Sharaz was current when Ten producer Angus Llewellyn recorded a 5 hour pre-interview in 2021 between Ms Higgins, Ms Wilkinson and Mr Llewelyn.
On Thursday, Justice Lee additionally heard submissions on whether or not or not Ms Reynolds’ chief of employees, Fiona Brown can be known as to present proof.
“Ms Brown has returned from abroad. She’s nonetheless jet lagged, however she has returned and I’ve met together with her,” her lawyer informed the court docket on Thursday.
“She has informed me she needs to help your honour. She has obtained medical recommendation that she not give proof.
“Now we have, having regard to her susceptible state, we’ve sought an updating report from her psychiatrist, which I perceive is in practice.”
Justice Lee mentioned if she was in a position to give proof “then clearly it could appear to have some significance”,
Ms Brown’s lawyer additionally requested for the court docket’s stay stream to be delayed if she was to present proof.
“Aware of the general public curiosity and likewise acutely aware of the chance of hurt and likewise how the giving of proof, with one thing as much as 20 to 25,000 individuals watching could be oppressive in itself,” she mentioned.
Justice Lee mentioned he was “open” to the concept of delaying the stay stream to restrict the “vexation” to the witness.
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