Bruce Lehrmann was publicly identified as the man accused of raping Higgins and was charged with sexual assault. His criminal trial began on October 4, 2022, where he maintained his innocence and remained silent. Higgins was the key prosecution witness in the trial, which was aborted on October 27 due to juror misconduct. Despite multiple warnings against conducting research or inquiries, a juror brought a research paper about sexual assault into the jury room, leading to the trial’s termination.
Following concerns about Higgins’ mental health, Lehrmann was not set to stand trial again. In February 2023, Lehrmann sued Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson for defamation, alleging they wrongly accused him of sexually assaulting Higgins. The Federal Court trial concluded in December but was reopened to hear new evidence. Justice Michael Lee has yet to deliver his judgment following the presentation of this evidence.
In addition to suing Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, Lehrmann also launched and settled defamation cases against News Corp and the ABC. He accused News Corp and its political editor Samantha Maiden of defaming him by running an interview with Higgins. The ABC broadcast a National Press Club address featuring Grace Tame and Higgins, leading to a defamation lawsuit. Settlements were reached in both cases, with News Corp paying $295,000 and the ABC paying $150,000 towards Lehrmann’s legal costs.
An inquiry into the conduct of criminal justice agencies involved in the Lehrmann prosecution was led by former Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff. The inquiry concluded that the prosecution was properly brought but made damaging findings against the then ACT director of prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, leading Drumgold to challenge the findings in court. The court determined that communications between Sofronoff and a columnist at News Corp may have given rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias.
Former Seven Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach sent a defamation concerns notice to Lehrmann, raising the possibility of legal action. Auerbach was named in media reports concerning the booking of Thai masseuses for Lehrmann and a Seven employee. Lehrmann denied the allegations, attributing them to a disgruntled ex-Seven producer. Auerbach’s solicitor stated that Lehrmann’s comments were false and conveyed a defamatory imputation. Auerbach has become a central figure in Ten’s defense against Lehrmann’s defamation case, providing evidence shortly before the judge was expected to deliver his decision.
