Former Staffer Lehrmann Seeks Toowoomba Rape Trial Halt Over Police Call Recordings

Bruce Lehrmann, a former Liberal Party staffer, has filed an application in the Toowoomba District Court seeking a permanent stay of rape charges against him, arguing that police illegally obtained intercepted phone calls between his lawyers and Queensland Police. Lehrmann faces two counts of rape alleged to have occurred in October 2021 in Toowoomba. His defense, led by lawyer Zali Burrows, also requests full disclosure of all materials related to the police investigation, challenging the Queensland Police Service's discretion to withhold evidence relevant to the defense. The application follows revelations that police possessed four audio recordings of calls between a detective and Lehrmann's previous lawyers, which were not initially disclosed to the prosecution or defense. Queensland law generally permits recording phone calls without consent, but this issue is complicated by Lehrmann's legal matters in other states where such recordings are illegal. A hearing to address the disclosure of police notebooks and other investigation materials is scheduled for July 25, with Lehrmann's application for a permanent stay to be further discussed in court.