Bruce Lehrmann’s group chat messages reveal how his buddies deserted him after Brittany Higgins accused him of rape on The Mission: ‘Eject!’

A collection of screenshots offered to the Federal Court docket spotlight how buddies of Bruce Lehrmann responded after The Mission’s now notorious interview first aired. 

Mr Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, is suing Community Ten and ex-Mission host Lisa Wilkinson over a TV interview wherein Ms Higgins alleged she was raped. He appeared within the Federal Court docket on Thursday on the second day of his defamation case.

Mr Lehrmann informed the court docket that he was ‘booted’ from a Fb group inside the week of February 15, 2021 – when The Mission interview was broadcast.

One screenshot tendered in court docket confirmed 9 folks quitting a bunch chat with Mr Lehrmann after the TV program was aired. 

READ MORE: Each day Mail Australia’s reside weblog of the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial 

‘I recall logging into my social media accounts to close them down due to the media furore,’ Mr Lehrmann stated. 

Referring to Fb, he informed the court docket: ‘I used to be faraway from group chats and blocked in teams, my buddy depend had lowered which meant folks had unfriended me.’

‘After I was faraway from these teams, [the administrators] would spotlight within the messenger app that I had been eliminated,’ he stated. 

Mr Lehrmann additionally defined he had been left as the only member of one other group chat in any case different members eliminated themselves. 

Within the chat, which consisted of Nationwide get together supporters, Mr Lehrmann stated somebody had posted an ‘eject’ image. 

In a textual content change, Mr Lehrmann was requested by a buddy if they might name him, to which he responded: ‘Perhaps not tonight mate’. 

‘As your mate, I must name you brother,’ the buddy replied.

Mr Lehrmann then stated: ‘Making an attempt to name you mate’. 

When requested concerning the affect The Mission broadcast had on his life, Mr Lehrmann informed the court docket: ‘The Mission has fully destroyed me.’ 

‘All the things flowed from that – dropping buddies, funds, sections of my household have not bothered to contact me.

‘It has fractured giant elements of my life.’

READ MORE: Professional reveals what’s actually at stake in Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial 

Additionally on Thursday, Mr Lehrmann informed the Federal Court docket that he had ‘spiralled’ after studying an article on information.com.au at about 8am on February 15, 2021, which detailed Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations.

He wasn’t conscious on the time that the allegations concerned him however had determined to learn the story due to its political content material.  

He informed the court docket he recognised Ms Higgins’ identify as a result of they was once colleagues, and stated ‘I used to be shocked like everybody else’.

He knew the allegations had been about him by about 2pm that day, when a Information Corp journalist, Rosie Lewis, contacted his employer, which at the moment was British American Tobacco.

Ms Lewis stated she heard the alleged rapist was him, and requested whether or not he or his employer had a remark.

‘I used to be known as into a gathering after I had lunch,’ Mr Lehrmann informed the court docket.

‘I used to be proven the e-mail from Ms Lewis.

‘She indicated in that e-mail that she’d heard from authorities sources that I used to be the alleged individual recognized from media reporting that morning, and did my firm have a response or via them, did I’ve a response.’

He additionally informed his girlfriend concerning the scenario and known as prison lawyer Rick Korn.  

When requested how had felt after that time, Mr Lehrmann stated ‘I fully spiralled’.

He stated Mr Korn was additionally attempting to ‘handle my feelings’ and, later within the week, he grew to become suicidal.

Mr Lehrmann has at all times denied allegations he raped Brittany Higgins and there have been no findings made in opposition to him.