A high-profile rape case that ignited protests across Australia has abruptly ended in a mistrial, prompting outrage from the alleged victim who said she had been treated like she was the criminal.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum declared a mistrial on Thursday after a courtroom sheriff accidentally discovered a jury member with a copy of a document that was prohibited by the trial's strict rules.
Brittany Higgins, 27, alleged that former conservative staffer Bruce Lehrmann, 27, raped her on a couch inside the parliamentary office of a government minister following a night of heavy drinking in March 2019.
Higgins sobbed as she spoke outside court following the mistrial, saying she had "told the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or unflattering to the court".
"I chose to speak up. To speak up and share my experiences with others," she said.
"He never faced one question in court about his story and the criminal charges.
"I was required to surrender my telephones, my passwords, messages, photos and my data."
In a further twist, Lehrmann's lawyers then referred Higgins' comments to police, suggesting they could prejudice a planned retrial in February.
Lehrmann has stridently maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent.
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'Miscarriage of a trial'
The jury – comprising eight women and four men – had been deliberating for five days when McCallum discharged them and declared a "miscarriage of a trial".
McCallum said court sheriffs found prohibited material – namely, an academic paper on sexual assault – inside the document holder of a jury member.
She said it was found when "one of the officers accidentally bumped one of the juror's document holders onto the floor".
"It has come to my attention that one of you has undertaken research in relation to issues in the case, and that material has entered the jury room," McCallum said.
"It may be that no harm has been done, but that's not a risk I can take... I have to discharge you all."
Jurors are prohibited from bringing outside material into the courtroom, and can only rely on what has been heard during the trial.
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