Judgment day for Lehrmann over Higgins rape report

The 28-year-old is suing Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a February 2021 report on The Project where Brittany Higgins claimed he raped her in a Parliament House office almost two years prior.

A judgment in the bitterly fought defamation battle had been due to be delivered on April 4, but this was postponed when Ten successfully reopened the case to give further evidence.

In two further days of hearings, Justice Michael Lee heard allegations that Lehrmann had improperly provided confidential evidence to Channel Seven ahead of an exclusive Spotlight interview.

The network covered costs for expensive dinners, plane flights and accommodation, Sydney property rental, sex workers and illicit drugs, the Federal Court was told.

Justice Lee has included findings from this further evidence in his judgment which will be delivered on Monday morning.

One key issue in the case is whether Lehrmann was identified by Ten’s report as he was not specifically named in the program.

He claims his reputation was ruined and is seeking significant damages.

Ten has defended its reporting, saying claims in the interview were true and in the public interest as they involved alleged sexual abuse in Parliament House.

Higgins and Lehrmann gave evidence during the trial with both suffering attacks to their credibility over false or inconsistent statements made to police, the media and others.

Lee will have to determine, on the balance of probabilities, whether or not the alleged sexual assault occurred, or whether the two Liberal staffers engaged in consensual sex in the office of their then boss, senator Linda Reynolds.

Lehrmann denies the sexual assault allegation and a criminal case was dropped in 2022, with no findings made against him.