The man accused of sexually assaulting former Liberal Party staffer Brittany Higgins at Parliament House will have to wait until at least next week to learn his fate, with the jury in his rape trial yet to reach a verdict.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
An ACT Supreme Court jury has been deliberating since about 3pm on Wednesday in the trial of Bruce Lehrmann, who has pleaded not guilty to a charge of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent.
Lehrmann, 27, denies any sexual activity with Ms Higgins in March 2019, when he is accused of raping her on a couch in the office of their boss at the time, Senator Linda Reynolds, following "a drunken night out".
After a second full day of deliberations, the jury returned to the courtroom at 4pm on Friday to separate for the weekend.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum again reminded the eight women and four men she was available to help them in any way she could when deliberations recommenced next week.
She also told jurors to continue adhering to the warnings she has given them throughout the trial, which have included directions to refrain from discussing the case with others and to ignore media coverage.
The judge said it was "extremely important" to do those things on weekends, when members of the jury would be coming into contact with a broader range of people.
Lehrmann has been on trial for two-and-a-half weeks, with 29 witnesses called to give evidence before prosecutor Shane Drumgold SC and defence barrister Steven Whybrow delivered closing addresses.
The witnesses included Ms Higgins, who pointed across the courtroom at Lehrmann and addressed him directly when she returned after a week of unavailability to finish being cross-examined by Mr Whybrow.
"Nothing was fine after what you did to me," Ms Higgins told Lehrmann.
Senator Reynolds and another of Ms Higgins' former employers, fellow Liberal senator Michaelia Cash, have also been among those called to testify in a trial that has had journalists "practically hanging from the rafters", as Chief Justice McCallum has put it.
The jury is set to return to continue deliberations at 10am next Monday.
MORE COVERAGE OF THE TRIAL:
- Judge reminds jury she's 'here to help' as parliament rape trial deliberations continue
- Parliament rape trial jury retires to deliberate on '$325k question'
- 'Prepared to say anything': Defence claims Higgins 'doesn't know what happened'
- Higgins 'right to be scared' of 'strong political forces': prosecutor
- Senator accused of trying to 'coach' defence barrister's cross-examination of Higgins
- 'Political suicide': Senator denies pretending not to know about alleged rape
- 'Nothing was fine after what you did': Higgins confronts alleged rapist, denies being 'monster'
- Lehrmann 'in a hurry to get out' after alleged rape: parliament security
- 'My world has been rocked': Lehrmann tells police of 'Bruce the rapist' impersonator
- 'Broken, shattered person': Light in Higgins 'turned off' after alleged rape
- 'Bruce got quite handsy': What Higgins told parliament police after alleged rape
- Higgins 'unavailable' to continue cross-examination in rape trial, jury told
- Higgins had planned book before being 'blown away' by $325k offer, court hears
- 'So incorrect': Higgins hits back at 'deeply insulting' cross-examination
- 'I wanted her out': Higgins denies attempt to hide evidence, admits 'scrubbing' phone
- Higgins secretly recorded 'weirdest phone call' with Cash after quitting
- 'It may sound ridiculous': Higgins admits 'mistake' about 'weird anchor' dress
- Meeting with minister at site of alleged rape felt like 'scare tactic': Higgins
- 'Like this weird anchor': Higgins kept dress under bed while weighing up action
- Higgins 'rebuffed kiss' from accused rapist before allegedly being 'trapped'
- Public 'sold a pup' with 'unstoppable snowball' story of alleged Higgins rape
