Former Australian political staffer Bruce Lehrmann raped his colleague Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House, a judge has found in a defamation case.
Mr Lehrmann has always denied sex took place. He sued Network 10 over a media report in 2021 which sent shockwaves around the nation and sparked public outrage.
The outlet defended airing Ms Higgins' claims on the basis they were true. A judge has now ruled Mr Lehrmann told “deliberate lies” and was “indifferent” to whether Ms Higgins consented.
When handing down his decision in the Federal Court on Monday, Justice Michael Lee said Mr Lehrmann was “hellbent” on having sex with Ms Higgins.
“So intent upon gratification… [Mr Lehrmann] went ahead with sexual intercourse without caring whether or not she consented.”
The standard of proof in defamation cases is lower than in criminal proceedings – a defendant must only prove the claims are more like to be true, than not. Mr Lehrmann faced a criminal trial in 2022, but it was aborted due to juror misconduct. A retrial was later abandoned out of concern for Ms Higgins' mental health.
The allegations prompted mass rallies over the treatment of women in politics in 2021.
