The man accused of raping Brittany Higgins in a federal minister’s office has been committed to stand trial.

Bruce Lehrmann, 26, pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent at Parliament House on March 23, 2019.

Prosecutors and Lehrmann’s lawyer on Friday agreed to skip committal proceedings for an expedited path to an ACT Supreme Court trial.

Lehrmann again declined to show his face in ACT Magistrates Court.

He instead opted to appear via phone link for the second consecutive time.

“Hello, Bruce speaking,” he told magistrate Robert Cook. 

In September the court was told Lehrmann was in Queensland. 

He is accused of raping Ms Higgins in the office of then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds.

He instructed his legal team, barrister John Korn and his son Warwick Korn, to enter a plea of not guilty. 

John Korn last month requested more time because he received a brief containing information to which he should not have access.

A three-week adjournment was granted to give him time to go through another version of the brief.

Lehrmann’s case is due in the ACT Supreme Court on November 18.

AAP

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