Linda Reynolds, the ex-boss of Brittany Higgins, has revealed shocking details in her first TV interview about the rape claims made by Higgins. During the interview on 7News Spotlight, Reynolds disclosed that she never used the word rape in her initial complaints about Bruce Lehrmann, the man accused of assaulting Higgins.
Higgins, a former Liberal staffer, alleged that Lehrmann raped her inside Reynolds’ office in Parliament House in March 2019. Lehrmann has vehemently denied the allegations. Higgins publicly made her accusations against Lehrmann for the first time in February 2021 through an online article and a TV interview.
Reynolds expressed her shock and disappointment when she discovered that Higgins had accused her of not taking the allegations seriously. Reynolds claimed that she only found out about the sexual assault allegations a week after her meeting with Higgins. Furthermore, she stated that Higgins never used the word rape during their conversation, and Reynolds believed that if such serious allegations were made, Higgins should have gone directly to the police.
Reynolds also criticized the outgoing ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, suggesting that he should have been fired. She claimed that Drumgold portrayed her as the perfect villain during Lehrmann’s rape trial in October 2020.
In a separate interview, Lehrmann’s defense lawyer, Steven Whybrow, discussed the misconduct of Drumgold and argued that his client did not receive a fair trial.
Lehrmann’s second 7News Spotlight interview came after an extensive 900-page report from a Board of Inquiry chaired by former judge Walter Sofronoff. The inquiry examined the handling of Lehrmann’s trial by the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Lehrmann had expressed his anticipation about sharing more details regarding his perspective on the trial during the interview. The focus of the interview was not only on the trial but also on Lehrmann’s forthcoming lawsuit against the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and his reaction to the inquiry’s damning findings against Drumgold.
In a promotional clip for the interview, Lehrmann hinted at potential legal action against Higgins, raising the possibility of a defamation lawsuit.
