Bruce Lehrmann is grilled over allegedly ‘moving drinks towards Brittany Higgins at the pub and demanding she skoll them’ – as political staffer gets flustered, asks for a break and backtracks on key question
Security footage played before the court on Friday showed Bruce Lehrmann placing three spirit-based drinks on a table at The Dock Hotel on March 22, 2019, and moving them toward Brittany Higgins.
Mr Lehrmann told the court he was likely moving them away from the edge of the table, but Ten’s barrister Matthew Collins KC suggested he was moving them closer to Ms Higgins.
Dr Collins said: ‘We saw you amassing three spirit-based drinks and placing them close to the table near Ms Higgins – what were you doing?’
He replied: ‘Moving them away from the edge of the table.’
Dr Collins: ‘You were moving them so they were closer to Ms Higgins.’
Mr Lehrmann: ‘I disagree.’
The security footage showed the pair standing at a table with several other colleagues. There is no sound in the footage, but the group can be seen speaking amongst themselves.
Dr Collins then suggested Mr Lehrmann said to Ms Higgins, ‘all hers, all hers’ – referring to the three alcoholic drinks.
Mr Lehrmann denied saying that, but he could not recall exactly what he did say.
Dr Collins said: ‘I’m putting it to you squarely – the words you said to Ms Higgins were “all hers, all hers” in relation to the spirit-based drinks.’
Mr Lehrmann agreed that he gestured toward the drinks in the footage, but disagreed with Dr Collins’ account of what he said.
Dr Collins then pointed out that, in the footage, Ms Higgins touched Mr Lehrmann on the arm, telling the court: ‘She then touched you on the arm and said, “oh stop, oh stop”.’
