Brittany Higgins has tearfully thanked the people who have "rallied behind" her during the case of her alleged rapist, throughout which she says she felt like the person on trial.
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The former Liberal Party staffer's alleged assailant has also reacted to a jury having to be discharged in an unexpected end to his trial, expressing disappointment at the outcome.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum on Thursday declared a mistrial in the ACT Supreme Court, after being alerted to misconduct by a juror who took a research paper about sexual assault into the jury room.
The judge had warned the jury, which had been deliberating on a verdict for more than a week, at least 17 times not to conduct independent research.
After the jury was discharged and the case of alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann, 27, had been listed for a potential retrial in February 2023, an emotional Ms Higgins spoke outside court for about four minutes.
The majority of her comments cannot be published for legal reasons, but she said she did not blame reporters who had been "called out" for referring to the case as "the Higgins trial".
"It's very clear who has been on trial," she said.
Ms Higgins concluded by thanking "the people of Australia who have rallied behind me".
She made special mention of the people who rallied at March 4 Justice events shortly after she went public with allegations of being raped by Lehrmann, a fellow former Liberal Party staffer, at Parliament House during their time working together for Senator Linda Reynolds.
Ms Higgins also praised Canberra's healthcare workers, "without whom I literally wouldn't be here today".
"Again, thank you to the [Director of Public Prosecutions] team, my family, my friends, my mum, Heidi Yates, the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner, [lawyer] Leon Zwier, who I have stolen from his family for a really long time, [friend] Emma Webster and my partner, David [Sharaz]," Ms Higgins finished.
"Thank you to the court and its officers who treated me with such care and respect."
Lehrmann and his legal team had left court a few minutes earlier, chased by dozens of cameras.
Defence barrister Steven Whybrow offered a brief statement.
"Obviously everyone's disappointed with what's happened, but it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to say anything at this stage," he said.
MORE COVERAGE OF THE TRIAL:
- Mistrial in parliament rape case after problematic research enters jury room
- Morrison accused of jeopardising fair trial with 'egregious' Higgins apology
- 'Working extremely hard': Week after retiring, parliament rape trial jury still deliberating
- Deadlocked parliament rape trial jury directed to keep deliberating
- 'No pressure': Judge tells parliament rape trial jury to 'relax'
- 'Extremely important' warnings given to jury as alleged parliament rapist waits for verdict
- Judge reminds jury she's 'here to help' as parliament rape trial deliberations continue
- Parliament rape trial jury retires to deliberate on '$325k question'
- 'Prepared to say anything': Defence claims Higgins 'doesn't know what happened'
- Higgins 'right to be scared' of 'strong political forces': prosecutor
- Senator accused of trying to 'coach' defence barrister's cross-examination of Higgins
- 'Political suicide': Senator denies pretending not to know about alleged rape
- 'Nothing was fine after what you did': Higgins confronts alleged rapist, denies being 'monster'
- Lehrmann 'in a hurry to get out' after alleged rape: parliament security
- 'My world has been rocked': Lehrmann tells police of 'Bruce the rapist' impersonator
- 'Broken, shattered person': Light in Higgins 'turned off' after alleged rape
- 'Bruce got quite handsy': What Higgins told parliament police after alleged rape
- Higgins 'unavailable' to continue cross-examination in rape trial, jury told
- Higgins had planned book before being 'blown away' by $325k offer, court hears
- 'So incorrect': Higgins hits back at 'deeply insulting' cross-examination
- 'I wanted her out': Higgins denies attempt to hide evidence, admits 'scrubbing' phone
- Higgins secretly recorded 'weirdest phone call' with Cash after quitting
- 'It may sound ridiculous': Higgins admits 'mistake' about 'weird anchor' dress
- Meeting with minister at site of alleged rape felt like 'scare tactic': Higgins
- 'Like this weird anchor': Higgins kept dress under bed while weighing up action
- Higgins 'rebuffed kiss' from accused rapist before allegedly being 'trapped'
- Public 'sold a pup' with 'unstoppable snowball' story of alleged Higgins rape
