Bruce Lehrmann sings revised version of ‘I Fought the Law’ in unearthed footage
Video footage has emerged, circulating in Canberra circles, of Bruce Lehrmann belting out a revised version of “I Fought the Law”.
Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann told the Federal Court on Monday of his desire to keep a “tight circle” after he faced the “shock” of being accused of rape on The Project nearly three years ago.
That inner circle appears to involve rousing sing-a-longs, if this video is any guide, featuring Mr Lehrmann belting out a version of The Clash classic “I Fought The Law”.
The video that is circulating among Liberal staffers and Canberra circles features Mr Lehrmann, who is separately facing his fifth day in the witness box, singing a revised chorus of “And Bruce won”.
In the video he is drinking a tumbler of red wine while singing in front of a print of a reclining Modigliani nude.
News.com.au understands it was filmed in October 2023 on the NRL grand final weekend when Mr Lehrmann stayed with friends at a holiday rental on the Central Coast. There is no suggestion of any illicit drug use on this holiday.
On Monday, Mr Lehrmann revealed in evidence that he “spiralled” and turned to cocaine on the night The Project interview with Brittany Higgins aired, telling mates: “Need bags.”
Earlier this year the Federal Court published messages between Mr Lehrmann and his ex-friend John Macgowan on the night the story broke.
Asked about the exchange by Ten’s barrister Matthew Collins KC on Monday, Mr Lehrmann agreed he was talking about cocaine.
“I was in a bad place,’’ Mr Lehrmann said.
“You decided to spend some time that night with some friends and that substance,’’ Dr Collins asked.
“Yes, Dr Collins. I spiralled pretty quickly,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.
The barrister for Network Ten then asked if he’d asked for friends to bring drugs.
“Sorry. Your reaction to spiralling was to ask for cocaine to be … to have cocaine brought to you?”
Mr Lehrmann: “I was in a bad place. Yes.”
In another message, he texted Mr Macgowan, a former Liberal staffer.
“You said ‘Happy days.’ That was a reference to cocaine being available,’’ Dr Collins asked.
“Probably,’’ Mr Lehrmann said.
Lehrmann questioned over texts with ex-friends
Mr Lehrmann received a text from a mate called Harry Hughes about the “pretty cooked allegation” that Brittany Higgins had been raped at Parliament House on the morning the story first broke, but insists he never knew the first story was about him.
Mr Macgowan also texted him to ask if he had any gossip on “who the Canberra rape guy is” but then later advised him not to “out” himself as the accused.
The Federal Court heard on Monday of text messages sent to Mr Lehrmann by his former mates Mr Hughes, who is former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s nephew, and Mr Macgowan, who is a former strategist and was giving him media advice.
“He’s a good friend of yours?’’ Dr Collins asked.
“Not anymore,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.
Mr Hughes, whom he has previously described in court as a close friend, sent Mr Lehrmann a link to the news.com.au article titled “Parliament House Rocked By Brittany Higgins’ Alleged Rape” and asked: “Know this chick?”
Mr Lehrmann responded that he “worked with her briefly” and “(she) was at team drinks etc”.
At 11.17am, Mr Hughes texted Mr Lehrmann to say it was a “pretty cooked allegation” before asking if he knew “who the guy was”, to which Mr Lehrmann wrote: “Not the faintest idea. I haven’t been approached by anyone.”
About half an hour later, Mr Macgowan texted Mr Lehrmann to ask if he had “any gossip on who the Canberra rape guy is”.
He continued: “The yarn says ‘rising star’ so that rules out our mates, but who else?”
Mr Lehrmann replied he had “no idea in the slightest” and that he hadn’t been approached.
Later in the conversation, Mr Lehrmann texted Mr Macgowan to say he assumes “it will fizzle”, to which Mr Macgowan said: “She (Ms Higgins) is on The Project tonight which isn’t exactly prime time stuff”.
Mr Lehrmann asked: “They wouldn’t name would they? Pretty slanderous stuff”.
Mr McGowan replied: “Well it’s defamatory.”
Neither the news.com.au article nor The Project named Mr Lehrmann, but he has argued in his defamation statement of claim that their stories included details that could have identified him to certain people.
Mr Macgowan, who accompanied Mr Lehrmann to court during the criminal trial, also advised him not to issue a statement denying allegations he had raped Brittany Higgins before The Project’s interview went to air, saying: “Don’t do that, don’t do that.”
Dr Collins indicated Mr Macgowan advised Mr Lehrmann “that that was the worst thing” he could do and said another friend with media experience said it was “a very bad idea”.
Both Mr Hughes and Mr Macgowan were then involved in finding a criminal lawyer for Mr Lehrmann, called Ricky Korn.
However, Mr Lehrmann told the Federal Court on Monday he was no longer friends with his two mates.
Mr Lehrmann was previously grilled in the Federal Court in March, 2023 about whether he knew the article was about him when it was published in 2021.
Ten’s barrister asked Mr Lehrmann if he was “putting on a brave face” because he was “well aware that you were the subject of Ms Higgins’ allegations”.
“No,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.
Mr Lehrmann was also grilled about his communications with a journalist from The Daily Mail called Charlotte Karp.
The Daily Mail published a story stating that Channel Ten “botched” its attempt to contact Mr Lehrmann when preparing the story.
Mr Lehrmann said he did not know how that material was sourced and suggested he had not spoken to Ms Karp.
Channel Ten’s lawyers then asked Mr Lehrmann’s lawyers to produce any relevant communications.
However, he said when he first read the news.com.au article he did not realise that it was about him.
“No I didn’t,” Mr Lehrmann said when Dr Collins asked if he thought it was him.
Mr Lehrmann said he didn’t think he was the man accused until he was contacted by a reporter, Rosie Lewis from The Australian, at 2pm, who claimed that “government sources” said it was him.
“Did you realise when you read the (news.com.au) article by Samantha Maiden and that it was about you?’’ he was asked.
“Not at that moment. I did not,’’ he said
The hearing continues.