‘Weeks to review’: Lawyers for alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann say up to 500 files to be reviewed

Lawyers for Bruce Lehrmann, who is charged with two counts of rape in Toowoomba, have asked for time to review up to 500 files from the complainants phone.

A lawyer for Bruce Lehrmann, who is facing two charges of rape, has revealed it will likely take “weeks” to review hundreds of locked files disclosed by prosecutors.

Mr Lehrmann is facing two counts of rape, alleged to have occurred in Toowoomba in October 2021. He has not entered any plea to the charges.

The former parliamentary staffer could previously only be referred to as a “high profile man” due to a combination of laws preventing the identification of people charged with rape, as well as a series of non-publication orders (NPO) sought by his legal team.

Former parliamentary staffer Bruce Emery Lehrmann (pictured) is facing two counts of rape. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Those protections were lifted after marathon court proceedings last week.

At Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Wednesday, crown prosecutor Sarah Dreghorn said the Crown had reviewed the phone download of the complainant’s phone and disclosed the relevant files to Mr Lehrmann’s defence team.

Rowan King, appearing for Mr Lehrmann, sought an adjournment for six weeks to review the material.

“Effectively, there are some clerical matters with respect to the data that has been provided,” Mr King told the court.

“I anticipate it will take a few weeks to review.

“The disclosure consists of between 400-500 files which are locked which means I can’t do what I usually do with this type of disclosure, such as combine the documents and perform a word or phrase search.

“(It’s) slightly slowing down the process on my end.”

Mr King said the six-week adjournment was also to discuss with the Crown about which witnesses would be required for cross-examination during the committal phase.

Rowan King, Mr Lehrmann’s solicitor, said he needed time to look over up to 500 “locked” files. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Mr Lehrmann’s matter will return to court on December 13.

His identity was revealed after the Supreme Court dismissed a judicial review lodged by his legal team, as well as revoking an interim NPO.

Prior to this, Mr Lehrmann could only be referred to by the “high profile man” title due to Queensland laws restricting the identification of people charged with prescribed sexual offences until they are committed to stand trial.

The Queensland Government scrapped those laws on October 3.

But Mr Lehrmann’s legal team successfully sought an interim NPO protecting their client’s identity when the laws first kicked in.

Mr Lehrmann is on bail and was not required to attend his court mention on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone

On October 13, Magistrate Clare Kelly ruled the NPO was not necessary to protect Mr Lehrmann’s safety or mental wellbeing.

The legal battle came to a head in the Supreme Court last week when Justice Peter Applegarth dismissed an application for a judicial review of Magistrate Kelly’s decision.

“The evidence before the magistrate included evidence that the potential naming of the applicant prior to the conclusion of the committal proceeding weighed heavily on him and had affected his mental health,” Justice Applegarth said in his judgment.

“This unfortunate effect on his mental health permitted, but did not compel, a finding that a non-publication order was necessary to protect the applicant’s safety.”

Justice Applegarth said Mr Lehrmann had not established the magistrate’s decision was unreasonable in the legal sense “or so unreasonable that no reasonable magistrate could have made that decision”.