Bruce Lehrmann requests rape accuser’s communication with compensation lawyer

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has lodged a subpoena to access communications between a Queensland woman who accused him of rape and a compensation law firm.

Former parliamentary staffer Bruce Lehrmann outside the Toowoomba Magistrates Court prior to his committal in July 2024. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has lodged a subpoena to access communications between a Queensland woman who accused him of rape and a compensation law firm.

Criminal solicitor Zali Burrows, who The Australian revealed last week had replaced Mr Lehrmann’s previous legal representation, applied for all file notes, documents and emails between the woman and firm Atwood Marshall Lawyers relating to “any/all compensation claims” between October 2021 and March this year.

Queensland Police charged Mr Lehrmann with two counts of rape in 2023 over an alleged incident with the woman, who he met in a Toowoomba nightclub in October 2021.

The subpoenaed material is to be produced by March 27.

Ms Burrows, who appeared by phone on a chorus call-over, told Toowoomba District Court judge Dennis Lynch she was having difficulty getting across the brief of the evidence due to missing documents and digital documents not opening.

She requested an order for the crown, represented by DPP prosecutor Caroline Marco, to provide a consolidated brief of evidence. But Judge Lynch refused, saying he was not interested “in refereeing some dispute” between the parties.

Bruce Lehrmann and solicitor Zali Burrows in Hobart. Picture: Elise Kaine

Mr Lehrmann sacked his previous representation in the matter, criminal lawyer Rowan King, in favour of Ms Burrows, who is representing him in a separate defamation matter before the Federal Court.

The Toowoomba matter will next be mentioned on April 24.

Mr Lehrmann was committed to stand trial last year. While he is yet to enter a plea, he has previously indicated he would fight the charges.

Prosecutors allege the woman met Mr Lehrmann on a night out at a nightclub, where he introduced himself as Bryce and began discussing their political views.

The court has heard the pair went to the home of Mr Lehrmann’s school friend around 4 am, where the pair had consensual sex and shared cocaine that was found in the woman’s bra before falling asleep.

The woman last year told the court the following morning to Mr Lehrmann having penetrative sex with her without her consent. She alleges he was not wearing a condom like they had agreed to the night prior.

The woman told the court she moved her body to remove him and told him to stop, but she alleges he climbed back on top of her to continue having sex, repeating “It’s OK, it’s Ok” until he ejaculated inside her vagina.

Mr Lehrmann’s defence has previously questioned the woman’s recollection of events in light of her alcohol and drug use.

The former Liberal staffer was revealed as the defendant in the Toowoomba matter in 2023 after legislation changed to allow those accused of rape or sexual assault could now be named before they were committed for trial or entered a plea.

Before the change, he was referred to as a “high-profile man” in the media. Mr Lehrmann had attempted to have his identity suppressed, but the non-publication order was rejected.

His criminal charges in Toowoomba are unrelated to the incident at the centre of a separate civil defamation trial involving Mr Lehrmann in the Federal Court in Sydney.