A authorities employee says she “said no at least half a dozen times” as a colleague allegedly raped her inside Australia’s Parliament House.
Brittany Higgins accuses Bruce Lehrmann of raping her within the early hours of 23 March 2019 after that they had each been out ingesting and clubbing with colleagues.
Lehrmann, 27, has pleaded not responsible to sexual activity with out consent and is on trial within the Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court dealing with a most of 12 years in jail if convicted.
During the primary day of the trial, prosecutor Shane Drumgold performed Ms Higgins’ interview with police the place she advised officers: “I said no at least half a dozen times.
“He didn’t cease. He saved going.”
Mr Drumgold advised the jury that Ms Higgins, then 24, and Lehrmann had left their colleagues after an evening out and had travelled in a taxi collectively.
Ms Higgins had thought she was on her method residence, he mentioned, however Lehrmann mentioned he wanted to cease at Parliament House to gather some work.
Accuser’s texts to buddy
Ms Higgins says that after they each entered the workplace of defence trade minister Linda Reynolds, she had fallen asleep on a settee, waking as much as discover Lehrmann having intercourse along with her.
Lehrmann had later left the constructing, and he or she had fallen asleep once more, Mr Drumgold mentioned.
In textual content messages to a buddy after the alleged rape, Ms Higgins had mentioned she was “barely lucid” on the time, one thing Mr Drumgold mentioned was related to her skill to consent to intercourse.
Guards who had seen Ms Higgins enter the constructing with Lehrmann had additionally noticed they have been each affected by alcohol, he added.
Defence lawyer quotes Mark Twain
Lehrmann’s defence lawyer Steven Whybrow quoted US author Mark Twain as saying “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, saying the phrases rang true on this case.
He mentioned the model of occasions Ms Higgins gave to police had “massive holes” and that, whereas violence in opposition to ladies is an “under-reported and under-prosecuted scourge on our society”, her story was not true.
Chief justice Lucy McCallum, who’s overseeing the trial, has warned jurors to stay neutral whereas listening to and deliberating over the case, which has had plenty of media protection because it got here to gentle.
The trial is anticipated to run for as much as six weeks and listen to proof from three former authorities ministers.
Sky News doesn’t normally determine alleged victims of sexual assault, however Ms Higgins has recognized herself quite a few instances within the media.
Source: information.sky.com”