Requested in the course of the interview whether or not he raped Higgins, Lehrmann replied, “no”, whereas additionally denying the pair had consensual intercourse and even kissed. It was put to him that, if he was to be believed that he didn’t rape Higgins, then he had been framed. “It could seem that approach,” he stated.
ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold.Credit score: Alex Ellinghausen
Lehrmann stated Higgins had given a “white lie” to her boss to save lots of her job after the pair’s after-hours entry into Parliament Home sparked a safety incident.
“[Then] she’s coming into contact with media elites which have form of latched onto this given the atmosphere at the moment in 2021 to weaponise it and advance a motion, actually,” he stated. “A not-guilty verdict meant jack shit when the media has already convicted you.”
Higgins denied fabricating the allegation in the course of the trial, telling the courtroom, “I’m not a monster, I’d by no means do one thing like that.”
Repeating what he informed police throughout a recorded interview aired within the trial, Lehrmann stated that when he and Higgins entered Reynolds’ workplace they went in several instructions, and he had left with out saying goodbye.
Requested whether or not he ought to’ve requested Higgins how lengthy she was going to be earlier than he left, Lehrmann replied, “I suppose in hindsight, positive,” however certified his thoughts was on different issues.
Brittany Higgins went public together with her allegation in February 2021.Credit score: Rhett Wyman
He did additionally admit mendacity to safety to get into Parliament Home on the night time he was accused of raping Higgins. He stated he had informed police the true cause he had gone again to parliament, which was to get his keys, however informed each safety and his then-chief-of-staff Fiona Brown one thing else.
The trial was aborted on October 27 on account of juror misconduct, and a retrial was scrapped in December on account of Higgins’ psychological well being.
Higgins denied she settled a civil declare in opposition to the Commonwealth for $3 million late final yr, telling this system the quantity was a lot decrease.
Lehrmann accused ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold SC of ruining his life for launching the prosecution in opposition to him. He additionally criticised Drumgold for asserting that he nonetheless believed in an inexpensive prospect of conviction the day he dropped the case.
“He took my alternative for a not-guilty verdict away from me then he informed Australia ‘I nonetheless might’ve received it.’ What the f—?” he stated.
The interview aired following weeks of proof in an ACT authorities public inquiry into authorities’ dealing with of the trial. Throughout the inquiry, Drumgold conceded he hadn’t thought in regards to the impact his speech that day would have on Lehrmann.
Throughout the trial a photograph of a bruise on Higgins’ leg was proven to the jury. She had additionally proven the photograph to The Challenge. “It was fabricated. That’s the one rationalization,” Lehrmann informed this system.
“It could seem that she’s provided that to The Challenge to boost the weaponisation of her sexual assault allegation … it’s fairly sick.” He added that it was additionally “sick” that his pursuits could possibly be solid apart for the advantage of the #MeToo motion.
Lehrmann stated he was infuriated by Higgins’ assertion in the course of the Challenge interview that he hadn’t suffered. He stated he was ostracised by his pals because of allegations in opposition to him, and labelled the nationwide story surrounding the allegations that had in opposition to him as an “absolute bloody furphy”.
“I imply, immediately, immediately like it’s the metaphorical model of a nuclear bomb or the world exploding earlier than your eyes. You’re being blocked. You’re being faraway from group chats.”
The day of the mistrial, Higgins criticised the justice system outdoors the ACT Supreme Court docket and stated she felt as if her life had been publicly scrutinised, “open for the world to see”.
“His was not. Lots of you within the media have been referred to as out for labelling the previous couple of weeks the Higgins trial. However I don’t blame you as a result of it’s very clear who has been on trial.”
Lehrmann additionally denied that he was the privileged younger Liberal member he’d been painted to be, saying he was the son of a widow. “She’s bought no cash, I don’t have any cash,” he stated.
He stated he had left the political sphere “as a result of they’re a bunch of losers on each side of politics, it was not for me”.
Reduce by means of the noise of federal politics with information, views and professional evaluation from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can signal as much as our weekly Inside Politics e-newsletter right here.
