Bruce Lehrmann said ‘I don’t want to go into that’ when asked what he did at Parliament House at 1.30am
Network Ten barrister Matthew Collins KC began his closing submissions on Thursday by telling Justice Michael Lee he should be satisfied that the truth defence has been successful.
He said, ‘if your honour is satisfied there was sexual intercourse, what has happened here is monstrous’.
Dr Collins explained that if Mr Lehrmann did assault Ms Higgins, then he has knowingly subjected her to a criminal trial and a defamation trial.
‘On (Brittany) Higgins’ account, there’s a vivid description of sexual assault, on Mr Lehrmann’s account, there is no sexual activity, consensual or otherwise whatsoever,’ he said.
‘And therefore, your honest assessment of credibility and reliability of the two key protagonists is central.’
He told the court Mr Lehrmann was ‘wholly unconcerned with giving … an honest account of the events of the 22nd and 23rd March 2019’.
Dr Collins also argued Mr Lehrmann had used the ‘court to vindicate his reputation in respect of a report of an event’ and has ‘knowingly given false evidence in respect of almost every significant integer concerning that event.’
He explained that Mr Lehrmann’s first instinct when he had a meeting with his boss, Fiona Brown, on March 26, 2019 – three days after the alleged assault – and pointed out that Ms Brown made notes just after that meeting.
When Ms Brown asked what else he did when he entered Parliament House after hours with Ms Higgins that night, he said: ‘I don’t want to go into that.’
Dr Collins also pointed to evidence given by their former colleague who told the court she saw Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann kissing passionately at a nightclub, just hours before the alleged assault.
‘Mr Lehrmann was attracted to Ms Higgins, he asked her to skoll a drink, they pashed,’ Dr Collins said.
‘Mr Lehrmann had a girlfriend at home, Ms Higgins has got a housemate, they have access to Parliament House.’
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