A court has heard that when Brittany Higgins was allegedly sexually assaulted by a former coworker, Bruce Lehrmann, in a parliamentary office, she contacted her father to inform him that a coworker had been “inappropriate.”
Four days after the alleged assault in March 2019, Ms. Higgins messaged her father, whom she refers to as Papa Bear, informing him that there had been “an issue with a person at work,” the ACT Supreme Court heard.
She made references to the accusations in a string of messages, but later said in court that she “wanted to inform my dad but I didn’t want to put it in paper or in text because I was afraid about the ramifications.”
Ms. Higgins wrote to her ex-boyfriend Ben Dillaway in a different text message that was read to the jury on Thursday, saying, “The only thing I truly want is for this to not go out and become public knowledge.”
To one count of engaging in sexual activity without consent, Lehrmann has entered a not guilty plea.
Three days after the alleged assault, on March 25, Ms. Higgins got a message from her father saying, “I had a good weekend Friday night.”
The next day, Ms. Higgins said, “That sounds very great, and I’m really envious.” It would be absurd to spend time alone. Bring a jacket since Canberra is getting cold.
She said, “I’m alright, but just wanted to let you know there was an incident with a person at work being inappropriate. Can’t provide specifics at this time.
I’m always here, and I’m an excellent listener, her father retorted.
Ms. Higgins told the court that while she wanted to notify her father, she was worried about the “implications” and decided not to put it in writing or a text.
Instead, the court heard that before she sent her message regarding the weather in Canberra, she had spoken to her father over the phone about the alleged assault.
Additionally, it was made known in court that in the days after the alleged attack, Mr. Lehrmann wrote Ms. Higgins a number of administrative emails.
After their wild night out, on March 23, Ms. Higgins received an email from Mr. Lehrmann that was automatically sent from his account.
She informed the court that a list of office employees, including Ms Higgins, was given a series of clips, all with the title “Da Clips,” but only Mr. Lehrmann would see them since she was a new employee.
The accused sent them to her while her email was being added to the list—”even on a weekend,” as she said in court.
He allegedly sent her another email on Monday, March 25, three days after the alleged attack, with a personal note explaining that she wasn’t yet on the appropriate email list.
I cannot send to a private email. Will send David an email to add your gmail address to the secret list,” he said.
It’s really strange [that it won’t allow you send me private email], Ms. Higgins said.
In all honesty, adding myself on the list would be ideal.
Ms. Higgins said in court that she tried to seem as if things were normal and gave her customary response.
After meeting with Ms. Reynolds and her former chief of staff, Fiona Brown, in the office where the claimed assault occurred, she had a panic attack on April 1 while at work.
She testified in court on Thursday, saying, “That was a distracting factor so I was rather scared since I was in the room with the sofa so the words were a little lost.”
Ms Higgins noted that Ms Reynolds had a sympathetic demeanor and had remarked, “I didn’t believe he was capable of anything like that.”
At that moment, the topic of discussion shifted to the next election, my plans, and the necessity to inform the office of any actions.
They were attempting to determine if I would call the police.
They made it apparent to me that they were worried that I may call the police, as they had said.
“It all felt terribly strange just holding the meeting in the room,” said the speaker. According to my view, it was kind of a fear or intimidation approach.
It may not have been the case, Ms. Higgins acknowledged, but that was her perception.
“That was quite an antagonistic setting for someone to walk into after having such a horrible occurrence there,” she added.
Later that day, she said to the court, she was unable to breathe and spent “three or four hours” by herself in a restroom.
She was transported to the police sexual assault unit one week following her appointment with Ms. Reynolds.
On April 13, three days later, she made the decision to rescind her complaint.
She testified before the court, saying, “At the time, I felt pressure from my company not to take it any further.”
‘I attempted to make alternate arrangements to see if they would be flexible, but they weren’t, and it truly seemed like there would be consequences for my employment if I did.’
I was extremely interested in determining if I could work from home while traveling to the Gold Coast or from a base at home where I had assistance.
Ms. Higgins was informed that anybody who stayed in Canberra for the duration of the election would not be employed for the next term, therefore she decided against doing so.
She chose to accompany Ms Reynolds to Western Australia for the campaign after hearing from her former chief of staff, Fiona Brown, that she wouldn’t have a job if she remained in Canberra.
She said in court, “I’d spent my whole life striving for this moment.” Why would I allow this person to steal it from me?
On Wednesday, she informed the court that she had chosen to purchase a pregnancy test while in Perth.
On Thursday morning, Ms. Higgins sobbed in court as footage from Bruce Lehrmann’s trial depicting their arrival at Parliament House the night of the alleged attack was shown.
Ms. Higgins, now 27 years old, and Mr. Lehrmann were shown on camera passing through metal detectors twice and removing her black stilettos on that March 2019 evening.
When the jurors saw the video, Ms. Higgins started crying.
Ms. Higgins declared while seated in the witness box that she couldn’t recall “any of it.”
Ms. Higgins, who the court earlier heard was “Schoolies drunk” that night, was seen on camera struggling to buckle her shoes after passing through security once more.
She then reportedly carried her shoes in her hand while walking barefoot in a white cocktail dress through the hallways.
Ms. Higgins testified in court that she stored the white cocktail dress under her bed for roughly six months in a plastic bag.
She testified in court that she “very symbolically washed the dress” after realizing she couldn’t report the alleged assault without losing her job.
“I wore it once more, but after that, I never wore it again.”
Additionally, pictures of the alleged victim’s alleged rape scene, which included the grey leather couch, were shown to Ms. Higgins.
The couch was placed next to an Australian flag and Ms. Reynolds’ former desk. As the pictures were displayed, she managed to remain composed.
She described how she was positioned on the couch during the alleged rape, but her voice quivered as she spoke.
Ms. Higgins testified in court that she was facing the window with her head resting on a decorative cushion.
I was squeezed into the couch’s corner. She claimed, “My head was just there, between the head rest and the arm rest.
Ms. Higgins said, “Spread open,” when asked where her legs were by prosecution Prosecutor Shane Drumgold SC.
My other leg was bent and open, so I was totally exposed. My left leg was pinned down between his knee and the couch.
“I was trapped into the corner like a prop.”
On Thursday, Ms. Higgins showed up in court wearing all black. Her cross-examination by Lehrmann’s attorney is anticipated to start as soon as today.
The trial goes on.