The judge who found that disgraced soldier Ben Roberts-Smith committed war crimes in Afghanistan did not show âfull consideration of the presumption of innocenceâ in his defamation case, an appeals court has heard.Â
Former Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming has lost a bid to split her defamation case against state party leader John Pesutto, after a judge expressed his reluctance to have the court sort through her claim that publications by Pesutto carried 67 different defamatory imputations against her, including that she is a neo-Nazi.Â
A Network Ten executive received an angry phone call from former prime minister Scott Morrisonâs chief media advisor after claims about the Liberal Partyâs handling of Brittany Higginsâ 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 âlacking credibilityâ, but say the court should not find him a âcompulsive liarâ as argued by Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson in defending his defamation case.Â
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 Lehrmannâs defamation trial against Network Ten and presenter Lisa Wilkinson has expressed his doubt at the plausibility of the former Liberal stafferâs 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 Lerhmannâs evidence should be treated with âextreme suspicionâ and rejected where it is not corroborated, as the judge overseeing Lehrmannâs defamation case against the broadcaster noted âreal credit issuesâ with both Lehrmann and his accuser Brittany Higgins.Â
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-Smithâs 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.
A lip reading expert has given evidence of his interpretation of CCTV footage at a bar on the night Bruce Lehrmann allegedly raped Brittany Higgins, saying he “encouraged” her to finish drinks, a claim the former Liberal staffer has denied.