The jury in the case of Bruce Lehrmann has been discharged over juror misconduct.

A juror had been conducting external research online and bringing it into the deliberation room.

“It has come to my attention that one of you, contrary to directions, has undertaken research in relation to issues in the case and that material has entered the jury room that ought not to have,” Chief Justice Lucy McCallum said.

“”t may be that no harm has been done, but that is not a risk that I can take.”

The jury had been deliberating for nearly a week, with no verdict reached.

Mr Lehrmann is accused of raping Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019. He has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent.

A retrial has been set down for February.

Criminal lawyer Bill Potts said it was a rare occurrence that a trial had to be aborted due to juror misconduct.

“Thankfully it is rare, unfortunately I have to say it’s not uncommon, and that seems to me to be a very modern tragedy,” he told Sofie Formica.

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Image: Getty/Martin Ollman