Bruce Lehrmann does came out of court pale-faced after losing his defamation case Channel Ten.
Judge Michael Lee ruled Tuesday that Lerhmann raped Brittany Higgins because he was “determined” to have sex with his former colleague.
The 28-year-old stood his ground as Judge Lee adjourned the case, kept his head down and laid charges at the first opportunity.
Lehrmann was flanked by his legal team as he left the NSW Federal Court, straining to avoid a waiting crowd of reporters and cameramen.
He remained stony-faced and silent as he was followed down the street as a cameraman fell to the sidewalk amid the chaos.
Moments earlier, Lee found Lehrmann was “indifferent” about whether the drunken Ms Higgins consented or not before raping her on a senator’s sofa in Parliament House in March 2019.
Pale-faced Bruce Lehrmann has emerged from court after Judge Michael Lee ruled he raped Ms Higgins on the balance of probabilities (pictured)
Bruce Lehrmann remained silent as he left the NSW Federal Court on Monday
The 28-year-old was flanked by his legal team as he left the NSW Federal Court, straining to avoid a waiting crowd of reporters and cameramen (pictured)
Bruce Lehrmann remained stony-faced and silent as he was followed down the street, with a cameraman falling to the sidewalk amid the chaos (pictured)
The findings were announced on Monday as Judge Lee handed down his judgment in Lehrmann’s defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
“Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins,” he said of the infamous night in March 2019.
Although there was no evidence that Lehrmann knew Ms Higgins did not consent to the sexual activity, he was recklessly indifferent to her rights and was “completely inclined” to have sex, the judge said.
Earlier on Monday, Judge Lee labeled Lehrmann an unreliable, dishonest witness.
“Mr. Lehrmann has no qualms about deviating from the truth if he deems it appropriate,” the judge said.
“I am convinced that in important respects he has told deliberate lies.”
The 28-year-old sued Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a February 2021 report on The Project in which Brittany Higgins alleged he raped her in an office at Parliament House almost two years earlier.
Judge Lee described both Lehrmann and Ms Higgins as ‘unreliable historians’ as they recounted what happened that fateful night.
Brittany Higgins will be seen at the ACT Supreme Court in Canberra in 2022
Bruce Lehrmann sued Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson (right) for defamation over a February 2021 report on The Project in which Brittany Higgins alleged he raped her
Lisa Wilkinson and barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC grin as they leave court on Monday, moments after Judge Michael Lee found Ten’s defense of the truth successful
The judge said Ms Higgins had been detached from the truth about allegations made to Ten in 2021 that members of the coalition government at the time had tried to silence her from reporting the alleged rape.
“The cover-up accusation contained objectively few facts but a lot of speculation,” he said.
But Judge Lee ruled that any incorrect statements made to police in 2019 were not inconsistent with comments made by a ‘real victim of sexual assault’.
Judge Lee said Lehrmann was identified by Ten’s report, despite denials from the network.
The ex-Liberal staffer claims his reputation has been ruined and is seeking significant damages.
Ten has defended his reporting, saying the claims made in the interview were true and in the public interest as they involved alleged sexual abuse in Parliament House.
Judge Lee considered whether or not, on the balance of probabilities, the alleged assault occurred in the office of their then-boss, Senator Linda Reynolds.
Lehrmann denies the accusation of sexual assault and a criminal case was dismissed in 2022, without any findings being made against him.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redressal Support Service 1800 211 028