Lawyers for the man accused of raping Brittany Higgins at Parliament House are moving to have the case halted, and failing that, media reporting limited.
Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty, with his lawyers set to argue in the ACT Supreme Court that the publicity of the allegations has prejudiced his right to a fair trial.
Lehrmann is charged with sexual intercourse without consent at Parliament House in March 2019.
The defence wrote to media outlets seeking consent for a takedown ahead of pressing for an official injunction in court.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum noted in the case’s previous hearing that media didn’t have a “free licence” to publish what they wanted ahead of the trial.
“The more this case is ventilated in public forums the more likely it is the accused will not be able to have a fair trial”, which would likely result in a temporary or permanent stay, she told the court.
