Bruce Lehrmann revealed as high-profile Toowoomba rape accused after media opposed non-publication order

Bruce Lehrmann has been revealed as the high-profile Toowoomba man accused of rape after the media successfully opposed the renewal of a non-publication order on the case.

Mr Lehrmann’s identity could not be revealed until today due to strict laws in Queensland which bar the identification of people charged with prescribed sexual offences, including rape.  

Although those laws were relaxed on October 3, the 28-year-old’s legal team were able to secure a temporary suppression order to halt publication of his name.  

However, following a lengthy hearing at Toowoomba Magistrates Court on October 13, the order was revoked by Magistrate Clare Kelly, paving the way for the publication of Mr Lehrmann’s identity.

On Wednesday, lawyers for Mr Lehrmann appeared in Brisbane Supreme Court in a final effort to continue the application to keep his name anonymous which was unsuccessful, and the order expired at 5pm.

Within minutes, news outlets revealed for the first time that Mr Lehrmann was the high-profile figure accused of two counts of rape following an incident in Toowoomba in October 2021.

Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins previously accused Mr Lehrmann of rape in 2019.

The revelation sparked a reckoning of the culture and attitude towards women in Parliament House and heavy media coverage, culminating in a highly-publicised interview between Higgins and Lisa Wilkinson for Channel Ten’s The Project.

Mr Lehrmann was committed to stand trial in the Higgins case but the trial was abandoned after a juror was found to have brought outside information into the jury room.

An attempt to retry the case was dropped by prosecutors in December 2022 citing concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health while Mr Lehrmann has always strenuously denied the allegations.

Mr Lehrmann is currently on bail in relation to the Toowoomba case and the two rape charges will be mentioned again in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on November 1.