A detective who investigated Brittany Higgins' sexual assault allegation and a rape crisis counsellor will give evidence at Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial. The trial will enter its 11th day in the Federal Court as Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson continue to defend claims they defamed Lehrmann through a February 2021 report on Network Ten's The Project. Ms Wilkinson interviewed Ms Higgins about her allegation she was sexually assaulted by Lehrmann in the Parliament House office of their then-boss, Senator Linda Reynolds, in the early hours of March 23, 2019. Lehrmann has denied this happened, claiming that no sexual contact or intimacy occurred between them. On Thursday the court will hear from Detective Senior Constable Sarah Harman, an ACT Police officer in the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit who initially investigated Ms Higgins' report in 2019. Ms Higgins ultimately decided not to continue with the complaint at that time, but reopened it in 2021. Rape crisis counsellor Catherine Cripps will also be called to give evidence. Ms Cripps volunteered at the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre, whose services Ms Higgins accessed after her alleged assault. On Wednesday, the court heard from Ben Dillaway, a close friend of Ms Higgins who she confided in about the alleged incident. Mr Dillaway told the court Ms Higgins was concerned about "becoming known as the girl who was raped in parliament". Under cross-examination by Lehrmann's barrister Steven Whybrow SC, Mr Dillaway said he thought Ms Higgins had an "unfounded fear" about perceived consequences on her job if she went to the police. Lehrmann was charged in August 2021 over the alleged rape, but his criminal trial in the ACT Supreme Court was derailed by juror misconduct. Prosecutors did not seek a second trial, citing concerns for Ms Higgins' mental health. Lehrmann is also before Queensland courts accused of raping another woman twice in Toowoomba in October 2021. He has not yet entered a plea, but his lawyers have indicated he denies the charges. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Australian Associated Press