Barrister for Brittany Higgins’ accused rapist, Bruce Lehrmann, drop out days before trial

The barrister for Bruce Lehrmann, the Liberal staffer accused of sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins, have dropped out days before the trial was set to begin in Canberra.

The trial of Bruce Lehrmann, the man accused of sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins, appears set for delay after his barrister dropped out days before the case begins in Canberra.

Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault against Ms Higgins at Parliament House and was expected to face trial on Monday, June 6.

But ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum convened the court with just a few hours notice on Tuesday afternoon to hear an application.

The court heard Mr Lehrmann’s “counsel”, his barrister, was now unable to appear for him in the trial.

Solicitors for the publicly funded Legal Aid were being urgently briefed on the case but attempts to find a barrister anywhere in Australia had so-far failed.

(File) Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann denies the accusation he sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins.

Chief Justice McCallum told the court she was not prepared to make formal orders to delay the trial until she had seen more evidence about what efforts had been made to secure a new barrister for Lehrmann.

“Attempts to brief someone to start on Monday should continue,” Chief Justice McCallum said.

But, the court heard, the new legal team would still need to acquaint themselves with the evidence and the police case against Lehrmann so a delay may be needed.

Brittany Higgins was allegedly raped in Parliament House in 2019. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gary Ramage

Chief Justice McCallum said the court could postpone the trial until later in the month – but the court would have to reconvene on Thursday to decide the next steps.

“This matter has been listed for a very long time, it’s a sexual assault matter they always take some priority,” the Chief Justice said.

Lehrmann denies raping Ms Higgins in the office of Federal Liberal MP Linda Reynolds on March 23, 2019.

Late last month Chief Justice McCallum declined an application by Lehrmann’s legal team for a permanent or temporary stay of the trial.

The trial is now expected to last four weeks.