The jury in the trial of Bruce Lehrmann will continue their deliberations on Friday after being sent home following a full day considering the case on Thursday.
Lehrmann is accused of raping Brittany Higgins on a couch in the office of then defence industry minister, Linda Reynolds, on 23 March 2019, an allegation he denies. The pair had returned to parliament in the early hours of the morning after a night of drinking at Canberra bars.
The jury retired to begin their deliberations on Wednesday afternoon and returned 10am Thursday to continue their work. About 4pm Thursday, the chief justice Lucy McCallum sent them home and asked them to return on Friday morning.
In the closing stages of the trial, the prosecution argued that Higgins was an honest and reliable witness, who gave a consistent account of the alleged rape despite shifting circumstances and “strong political forces”.
Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent. He has argued there was no sex – consensual or nonconsensual – in Reynolds’ office. His lawyers have sought to attack the credibility of Higgins, arguing she fabricated the story after being caught naked in Reynolds’ office by parliament security.
The case has been heard before the ACT supreme court.
