The Federal Court's Justice Michael Lee has found that Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in a ministerial office while dismissing his defamation action.
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The judge said no criminal findings had been made against Mr Lehrmann, but the civil standard had found he "engaged in a great wrong".
"Mr Lehrmann is not entitled to the vindication of his reputation."
The judge found, on the balance of probabilities, that they had sex in the office, and that Ms Higgins had not consented.
Justice Lee read his judgment on Monday morning, and you can catch up on the key moments in our live blog.
The blog appears immediately below this line, and sometimes takes a moment to appear.
Mr Lehrmann unsuccessfully sued Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over a 2021 The Project story which aired Brittany Higgins' allegation of being raped inside Parliament House.
He has always denied sexually assaulting his political staffer colleague on the ministerial office couch of Senator Linda Reynolds in the early hours of March 23, 2019.
No criminal findings have been made against him.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Canberra Rape Crisis Centre 6247 2525.
MORE DEFAMATION TRIAL COVERAGE:
- Why Justice Lee had to let Ten reopen its defamation defence case
- Wilkinson wins major battle in legal costs fight with Network Ten
- 'Various parts' of Lehrmann, Higgins evidence 'can't be accepted': judge
- Lehrmann's defamation settlement with News Corp, ABC revealed
- 'Did you seek consent?": Lehrmann denies barrage of allegations
- Lehrmann accepts he lied in television interview
- Higgins 'couldn't scream like you see in the horror movies'
- Dress wasn't a concern 'as I was being raped': Higgins
- Higgins confirms how much she received in Commonwealth settlement
- 'Hooked up', a 'feminist' fight: Staffers recall Higgins/Lehrmann exchanges
- Lehrmann's defamation settlement with News Corp, ABC revealed
- 'Women's intuition': Lehrmann gave former staffer 'bad vibes'
- Ten producer accused of burying Higgins' 'unanswerable questions'
- Wilkinson 'thrilled by riveting commercial appeal' of Higgins' rape claim, trial told
- Lehrmann forever 'the person who raped Brittany Higgins', court told
- Ten hammers Lehrmann's 'not remotely credible' account in final bid
- Lehrmann decision delayed with Ten set to present fresh evidence
- Explosive Lehrmann case witness not 'noble, public-interested person': judge
- Higgins raises question about 'info' she was drugged before alleged rape
- Everything you need to know ahead of the Lehrmann defamation decision
Tim Piccione
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts. He came to the nation's capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim.piccione@canberratimes.com.au.
