Lisa Wilkinson’s lawyer takes on Bruce Lehrmann for the first time – as he reveals cocaine-fuelled all-nighter after Project interview and texts come to light
Bruce Lehrmann’s fourth day of cross-examination by Network Ten’s barrister Matthew Collins KC began on Tuesday with questions about his actions after The Project aired, on February 15, 2021.
The Federal Court heard on Monday he watched the episode from his former criminal lawyer’s office, before he started consuming cocaine.
On Tuesday, Dr Collins asked Mr Lehrmann when he went to bed that night.
Mr Lehrmann couldn’t precisely recall, but said he went to bed at some stage.
Mr Lehrmann: ‘I went home.’
Mr Lehrmann: ‘And my friends came over,’
Mr Lehrmann: ‘I had some drinks.’
Mr Lehrmann said he was in a ‘bad mental way’ that night, and said he hardly slept, but couldn’t recall what time he went to bed.
Dr Collins then took Mr Lehrmann to his phone records.
They showed He texted an individual on his phone called ‘backup guy’.
‘Was that a drug dealer?’ Dr Collins asked.
‘Yes,’ Mr Lehrmann replied.
The last message was sent from Mr Lehrmann to some friends at 6.30am in the morning on February 16, 2021. It read: ‘I have headed home gentlemen, stay safe.’
Dr Collins then asked: ‘You stayed up all night on the 15th of February, didn’t you?’
Mr Lehrmann replied: ‘It appears that way, yes.’
When asked why he said in his affidavit that he went out with friends that night, before going home to sleep, he told the court: ‘My recollection is that I went home at some point – I didn’t recall going out again or coming home.’
Later on February 16, 2021, Mr Lehrmann checked himself into Royal North Shore Hospital and said he was having thoughts of suicide.
