Man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins pleads not guilty

The man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has appeared in court for the first time on one charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

A former Liberal Party staffer charged with sexually assaulting then-colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House has plead not guilty.

Bruce Lehrmann, 26, has been charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent, which carries a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

However he did not personally appear before the ACT Magistrate on Thursday.

Lawyers for Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann have entered a not guilty plea on the charge of sexual intercourse without consent.

Instead Lehrmann’s lawyer, John Korn, advised Magistrate Beth Campbell he had “been instructed to enter a plea of not guilty” on behalf of his client.

“That’s to the allegation that on the 23rd of March 2019, your client engaged in sexual intercourse with Brittany Higgins, without her consent?” Ms Campbell said in response.

Mr Korn requested a four-week adjournment to ensure the brief of evidence provided by the ACT Department of Public Prosecutions was complete.

Ms Campbell said the matter would be adjourned until October 14 at 9.30am for a committal “by consent I assume” to a trial in the Supreme Court.

It was also agreed Lehrmann, who is currently in Queensland, would be allowed to appear virtually via video or telephone.

“I’ve noted the defendant can appeal virtually for the commitment, but he will need to appear in some way on that occasion Mr Korn,” Ms Campbell said.

In August Mr Korn said in a statement Lehrmann would reject the allegation there was sexual intercourse.

“My client absolutely and unequivocally denies that any form of sexual activity took place at all,’’ Mr Korn said. “He will defend the charge.”

Brittany Higgins alleges she was raped in Parliament House in 2019. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Police will allege Lehrmann had sexual intercourse without consent with Ms Higgins at Parliament House in Canberra on March 23, 2019.

Detectives from ACT Policing specialist team dedicated to investigating sexual assaults first received a report about the alleged assault in April 2019.

ACT Policing previously said the investigation had “remained open” since then and in February 2021 a “formal complaint was made”.

“Detectives have since spoken to a number of witnesses and collected evidence as part of the investigation,” police said in a statement in August 2021.

In February this year, Ms Higgins went public with her allegations concerning the incident and the Morrison Government’s subsequent handling of the matter.

Ms Higgins has claimed people in the Coalition who were aware of her allegations in 2019 gave priority to the political interests of the Liberal Party over supporting her.

Ms Higgins’ public allegations sparked three reviews into how women and political staff are treated, including an independent inquiry into the culture of parliament.

Meanwhile Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins conducting an review of parliament, but will not make findings about specific allegations of bullying, sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Originally published as Man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins pleads not guilty