Key events
Federal court continues to livestream the case
This blog will cover major developments during the day. In the interests of open justice and due to significant public interest, the federal court is livestreaming this case.
You can watch the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial live stream on YouTube here.
Good morning
Expert lip-reader Tim Reedy is due to give evidence this week about conversations between Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins, and others, at Canberra hotel The Dock on the night she alleges he raped her at Parliament House.
We are heading into what is expected to be the final week of the defamation trial which has been set down to finish on Thursday. If the remaining witness evidence has not finished by then, the court may sit on Monday, Justice Michael Lee has said.
Today’s witnesses are expected to include the Australian federal police, another Liberal staffer and members of Higgins’ family.
Lee ruled on Friday that the evidence from UK-based Reedy will be allowed – Lehrmann’s side had objected against it being heard.
Earlier in the trial the barrister for Ten, Dr Matt Collins KC, suggested to Lehrmann that he had tried to get Higgins drunk at The Dock on 22 March 2019.
Lehrmann has always denied the rape allegation and, in a previous criminal trial about the matter, pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent, denying that any sexual activity had occurred. The criminal trial was aborted.
In December prosecutors dropped charges against Lehrmann for the alleged rape of Higgins, saying a retrial would pose an “unacceptable risk” to her health.
The court has heard that CCTV footage showed Higgins consumed six spirit-based drinks in the Canberra bar, two of which were bought for her by Lehrmann.
Collins:
You were trying to get Ms Higgins drunk.
Lehrmann:
No I wasn’t.
Collins:
You were ensuring that she had a glass of spirit-based alcohol in her hands at every moment.
Lehrmann:
No I wasn’t.
The defence asked Reedy to analyse the CCTV footage from The Dock and interpret what was being said by those present.
This week will also see Ten’s news team Peter Meakin, Lisa Wilkinson and Angus Llewellyn give evidence about their interview with Higgins on The Project.
#Bruce #Lehrmann #defamation #trial #live #final #week #evidence #hear #Brittany #Higgins #family #police #lip #reading #expert #Australia #news
