Staffer before court on assault

QUEENSLAND man Bruce Lehrmann has appeared before court charged with the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019.

Mr Lehrmann dialled into the ACT Magistrates Court from Queensland on Thursday morning, and his matter was adjourned for three weeks.

The former Liberal staffer only spoke to confirm he could hear the magistrate.

He was not present for the first mention last month when his solicitor Warwick Korn entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Ms Higgins came forward in February this year alleging she had been assaulted in the office of then Defence Minister Linda Reynolds on March 23, 2019. Mr Lehrmann denies the claim.

He faces a charge of sexual intercourse without consent, being reckless as to whether Ms Higgins had consented.

Mr Lehrmann’s barrister John Korn told the court on Thursday he needed more time as he had only received the brief of evidence two days earlier.

“It will take me about two weeks, I imagine, to get through the material,” he said.

Mr Korn explained the original brief he received from police several weeks ago had contained material that should not have been sent to him, and he had given an undertaking not to read it.

It was only on Tuesday evening that a hard copy of the brief arrived by courier, he said.

Mr Korn said Mr Lehrmann would “probably” be ready to be committed for trial in three weeks, but Covid-19 border restrictions could be a problem.

Mr Lehrmann is in Queensland and his lawyers in NSW.

Ms Higgins’ allegations triggered a national conversation about how sexual assault complaints were handled.