Bruce Lehrmann has claimed that Queensland Police destroyed evidence that could prove his innocence, and his pending rape trial should be abandoned. The 30-year-old's solicitor, Zali Burrows, told Brisbane District Court on Thursday that a hard drive containing extensive case files, including audio recordings of witnesses and Lehrmann, copies of statements, and video recordings, had been destroyed.
Burrows said the hard drive malfunctioned for unknown reasons and that the defence's request for independent expert analysis was denied because the drive had been destroyed. The material included audio of Lehrmann taken before his arrest in 2023 and a full download of the complainant's mobile phone. Burrows argued that the destruction of this exculpatory material warrants a permanent stay of proceedings.
Judge Deborah Richards ordered that Lehrmann would not face a potential trial on two counts of rape until at least 2026, citing a lack of court calendar space. A hearing on the application for a permanent stay is scheduled for 26 September, with a further hearing on subpoena claims on 28 August.
Crown prosecutor Peter Blake-Segovia did not respond to Burrows' submissions about the hard drive or claims of piecemeal evidence disclosure. Lehrmann, who is on bail, is accused of raping a woman in Toowoomba in October 2021. He has not yet entered a plea but intends to contest the charges.
