Former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann to stand trial on Toowoomba rape charges

The 29-year-old faces two counts of rape, which are alleged to have occurred in Toowoomba in October 2021.

Bruce Lehrmann's legal team had argued that the former Liberal staffer should not face trial on the charges because the alleged victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent. Source: AAP / Jono Searle

Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann has been committed to stand trial on two rape charges.

The second day of a committal hearing for Lehrmann's charges, that he allegedly raped a woman twice in the early hours of 10 October 2021, was held at Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Defence barrister Andrew Hoare had argued Lehrmann should not face trial on the charges because the alleged victim was too intoxicated to remember giving consent.

"The test that needs to be satisfied is a low one in this case. It is said the threshold is not met in both of these (charges)," Hoare said.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald said there was a prima facie case to answer — meaning that there is sufficient evidence to enable a verdict to be reached — and any questions over the reliability of the alleged victim's evidence should be considered by a jury.

After adjourning for a few minutes, magistrate Mark Howden returned with a decision that a reasonable jury, properly instructed, could potentially find the allegations proven beyond reasonable doubt.

Howden told Lehrmann, who attended remotely via phone, that he would stand trial on two counts of rape before the Toowoomba District Court at a date to be set by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

"Not as this time, thank you, your honour," Lehrmann said when asked if he wanted to say anything or enter a plea.

A date for Bruce Lehrmann's rape trial is yet to be set. Source: AAP / Jono Searle

Lehrmann's bail was continued.

Defence lawyers had mounted a weeks-long legal effort to maintain Lehrmann's anonymity after Queensland changed its laws in October 2023 to no longer ban the publication of the names of people charged with certain sex offences before facing trial.

Lehrmann was identified after being denied an ongoing non-publication of his name by the Queensland Supreme Court.

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