Bruce Lehrmann ‘extremely happy’ after settling with News Corp over Brittany Higgins, news.com.au
Bruce Lehrmann Applauds Settlement With News Corp After Brittany Higgins Report, Says He Is “Extremely Happy” With The Outcome And They DID “Add” To His Legal Fees
- Bruce Lehrmann initiated legal action in February
- News.com.au settled the libel suit on Tuesday
- Mr. Lehrmann says he is ‘extremely happy’ with the result
Bruce Lehrmann says yes ‘extremely pleased’ with the settlement of his defamation suit against News Corp over reports true Brittany Higgins first claimed he raped her in Parliament House.
Mr. Lehrmann filed legal action in February against News Life Media, a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which operates news.com.au.
The case was due to be heard in Sydney Federal Court in November, but Daily Mail Australia revealed earlier today that the media giant has now reached a settlement and that NEWS Life Media is contributing to Mr Lehrmann’s legal costs.
“I am extremely pleased with the settlement, particularly news.com.au’s acknowledgment that it does not suggest I was guilty of sexual assault,” said Mr. Lehrmann in a statement.
He added: “I look forward to being successful in my defamation suit against Network Ten, Ms. Lisa Wilkinson and the ABC at the Federal Court hearing in November this year.”
The lawsuit against news.com.au was originally brought following articles published in February 2021 by journalist Samantha Maiden, which first detailed Ms Higgins’ rape allegations.
Mr Lehrmann was not named in the articles, but he claimed his former colleagues in the parliament building were able to identify him as the alleged offender. He has consistently maintained his innocence.
Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) says he is ‘extremely happy’ with his settlement with News Corp after reports of Brittany Higgins first alleging he raped her in Parliament House
Brittany Higgins (center) is pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court in October, during Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial
On Tuesday, the media giant added disclaimers to two online articles detailing Ms Higgins’ allegations.
“Bruce Lehrmann initiated a defamation suit alleging that this article accused him of sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins,” the disclaimer read.
This proceeding was terminated and resolved on terms satisfactory to Mr. Lehrmann and the publisher of this website.
News.com.au notes that a criminal charge of assault was filed against Mr Lehrmann and later dropped. News.com.au does not suggest he was guilty of that charge.”
Federal court records showed that Lehrmann dropped his lawsuit on Tuesday.
Mr Lehrmann is still suing Channel 10, which also initially published the claims, for defamation of a similar report.
He is also suing the ABC over a National Press Club broadcast of a speech Mrs Higgins gave with then Australian of the Year Grace Tame.
Bruce Lehrmann was accused of raping Brittany Higgins in 2019. He continues to insist he is innocent