Mark O’Brien Legal

The court might find Bruce Lehrmann’s story implausible, but that doesn’t mean Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape is the only possible alternative to what happened in Parliament House five years ago, Lehrmann’s lawyers have told a court.

The judge who found that disgraced soldier Ben Roberts-Smith committed war crimes in Afghanistan did not show “full consideration of the presumption of innocence” in his defamation case, an appeals court has heard. 

A Network Ten executive received an angry phone call from former prime minister Scott Morrison’s chief media advisor after claims about the Liberal Party’s handling of Brittany Higgins’ alleged sexual assault were aired on The Project, new court documents reveal.

Lawyers for accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann have conceded his evidence on several issues was “lacking credibility”, but say the court should not find him a “compulsive liar” as argued by Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson in defending his defamation case. 

Companies and government entities paid out less to settle class actions in 2023 than in the previous two years, with no mega settlements hitting their pocketbooks.

On the final day of trial in Bruce Lehmann’s defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson, barrister for the former Liberal staffer told the court his colleague Brittany Higgins falsely accused him of rape to avoid being sacked.

A judge hearing the final day of Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten and presenter Lisa Wilkinson has expressed his doubt at the plausibility of the former Liberal staffer’s evidence that he was working on Question Time briefs at the time he allegedly raped Brittany Higgins.

Network Ten has argued that accused rapist Bruce Lerhmann’s evidence should be treated with “extreme suspicion” and rejected where it is not corroborated, as the judge overseeing Lehrmann’s defamation case against the broadcaster noted “real credit issues” with both Lehrmann and his accuser Brittany Higgins. 

Accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann’s denial that he had any sexual contact with his former colleague Brittany Higgins was “quite disgraceful conduct”, the judge presiding over his defamation trial has heard.

Billionaire Kerry Stokes has lost his challenge to paying in lump sum Fairfax’s legal fees in defending Ben Roberts-Smith’s failed defamation case over war crimes allegations, having argued for an itemised bill after the Seven West Media chair agreed to foot the costs on an indemnity basis.