Prosecutors have abandoned charges against the man accused of raping Brittany Higgins following evidence that extended trials have taken a toll on the former Liberal staffer’s mental health.
Higgins, who alleged ex-colleague Bruce Lehrmann raped her inside Parliament House in March 2019, was confirmed to have been admitted to the hospital.ACT Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold on Friday announced he would no longer pursue the case after receiving “compelling evidence from two independent medical experts that the ongoing trauma associated with this prosecution presents a significant and unacceptable risk to the life of the complainant.”
“Whilst the pursuit of justice is essential for both my office and for the community in general, the safety of a complainant in a sexual assault matter must be paramount,” Drumgold said.
“I have made the difficult decision that it is no longer in the public interest to pursue a prosecution at the risk of the complainant’s life.”
