In a pivotal development in the legal proceedings against former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann, his legal team has been granted a six-week window to scrutinise hundreds of files provided by the police to his alleged rape case.
The Lehrmann case details
Lehrmann, 28, stands accused of sexually assaulting a woman on two occasions in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, in October 2021. The charges are undergoing a committal process to assess the grounds for advancing to trial.
During a recent mention at the Toowoomba Magistrates Court, Lehrmann, who was not required to be present, had his bail extended until the next court appearance.
This marked the first occasion the charges were discussed following a Queensland Supreme Court ruling allowing Lehrmann’s public identification.
Originally charged in January of this year, Lehrmann’s solicitor has signalled his intention to refute the allegations.
This legal episode follows Lehrmann’s previous high-profile case involving the rape charges brought forth by 24-year-old Brittany Higgins in 2019, which ended in a mistrial.
Case materials provided to the defence team
Crown Prosecutor Sarah Dreghorn informed the court that Lehrmann’s defence team received the requested material on October 24.
The defence, having initially sought the complete contents of the alleged victim’s phone, subsequently narrowed their request to messages exchanged in the six months leading up to the alleged offences.
Defence’s request
Lehrmann’s solicitor, Rowan King, requested a six-week adjournment to thoroughly examine the material, citing challenges in accessing the data and technical issues with the files. The application, unopposed, was granted by Magistrate Louise Shepherd, setting the next court mention for December 13.
This development underscores the intricate legal proceedings surrounding Lehrmann’s case and highlights the complexity of the ongoing investigations.
