Brittany Higgins reacts as an investigator in her rape case is stood down

Brittany Higgins has responded after a senior detective involved in her rape investigation was suspended from duty over allegations of a cover-up in an unrelated case. 

Detective Leading Senior Constable Trent Madders has been charged perjury, perverting the course of justice and concealing evidence in an unrelated case in a case involving a former AFP officer, news.com.au reported. 

Mr Madders, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, was one of the detectives who originally investigated Ms Higgins' allegation that she was raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann on a government minister's sofa after a night out in Canberra in 2019.

Reacting to the news that Mr Madders had been suspended, Ms Higgins shared three upside-down emoji faces on Instagram, which are often used to convey disbelief, irritation or frustrated resignation. 

There is no suggestion whatsoever Mr Madders engaged in any wrongdoing in relation to Ms Higgins' case. 

The charges he faces reportedly relate to an investigation into twin brothers who were convicted of spying on three female tenants using hidden cameras in their bedrooms in 2019. 

Australian Federal Police officer Joshua Rod Tiffen and his electrician brother Kenan Lee Tiffen were found guilty in April 2022 of three counts of capturing visual data in an indecent invasion of privacy.

However, they pleaded not guilty and their case is subject to an appeal. 

Mr Madders, who worked on the investigation, is accused of making a false sworn statement in a legal proceeding 'with the intention of procuring someone else’s conviction for, or acquittal of, an offence' between 5 and 6 August 2020, reported Riotact.

He’s also accused of concealing evidence 'with the intention of influencing the outcome of a legal proceeding' sometime between 12 June 2019 and 6 August 2020.

His case was listed for mention in the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday, where Mr Madders' lawyer requested that the matter be adjourned for three weeks.

No plea was entered and the case will return to court on August 1. 

He has reportedly previously rejected claims he engaged in a cover-up. 

A spokesperson for the AFP said 'an AFP employee has been charged with perjury and administration of justice related offences'.

'The employee, charged by AFP Professional Standards, has been suspended from duty,' the spokesperson added. 

Mr Madders provided a statement about his involvement in Ms Higgins' rape investigation to a board of inquiry that examined the ACT’s criminal justice system last year.

The board of inquiry report, which was produced by Walter Sofronoff KC, praised the conduct of police, including Mr Madders.

It found that officers had 'performed their duties in absolute good faith, with great determination although faced with obstacles, and put together a sound case'.   

An interview Mr Madders conducted with Ms Higgins, two years after the alleged assault, was played to the jury in her first trial, which was eventually aborted due to juror misconduct.  

A clearly distressed Ms Higgins berated herself as she told police she would have conversations in person or over the phone.

'In hindsight, I made it a lot harder for myself to verify. It was so stupid,' she told police as she started to cry.

'It's not stupid, Brittany,' Detective Leading Senior Constable Mr Madders told her.