Watch full replay of Bruce Lehrmann verdict live stream after defamation case judgment delivered

Bruce Lehrmann has lost his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, bringing to an end a sprawling legal saga which has gripped the nation. Subscribe to Guardian Australia on KZbin and hit the bell to see new videos ► bit.ly/gdnaustraliasubs
In a live oral summary that took two and a half hours, Justice Michael Lee said the former Liberal staffer was not defamed by Wilkinson and Ten when The Project broadcast an interview with Brittany Higgins on Monday 15 February 2021 in which she alleged she was raped in Parliament House. He found that on the balance of probabilities Lehrmann raped Higgins on the minister’s couch in Parliament House in 2019.
Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House, judge finds on balance of probabilities ► www.theguardian.com/australia...
Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial verdict live updates: watch and follow the latest news from the federal court ► www.theguardian.com/media/liv...
Bruce Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins saga: the night that spawned more than a dozen legal cases ► www.theguardian.com/law/2024/...
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[@user-ej5bk2ov9d]

Fantastic summary!

[@kyliemaree7427]

Does this mean the judgment will remain up after the FCA livestream is removed?

[@IB-1963]

His Honour is a smart man. No doubt.

[@cishansen4162]

He is a brilliant orator and wordsmith. Had me reaching for the dictionary a few times.

[@FionaBaz-bh1im]

His girlfriend threw a cup at him and Justice Lee threw his hat and the whole crockery set at him.

[@rozdee1780]

3:17:13 - this is the clincher

[@tatata1543]

Hubris meets nemesis. A nasty piece of work.

[@chrislim7615]

Not 2mention,her recent fian'cee looks like:BLyeah right*

[@mcbean1]

@3:16:39 Pretty much sums it up entirely.

[@SkyHeights-pc3hj]

The Project has closed all the comments on anything to do with Wilkinson. Why did Ten sack Wilkinson?

[@multioptioned]

They didn't. Still paying her millions and paid her legal costs...💰

[@SkyHeights-pc3hj]

@@multioptioned Lisa Wilkinson has not been on TV on Channel 10 in over a year. 10 is still paying her in full. But they are very aware that her extreme Feminist views are highly unpopular. You will never see her hosting a Show on Australia TV ever again.

[@Nae395]

Amazing the same networks who such this up broadcast themselves shows like farmer wants a wife etc etc, which in its actual title tells young people, men can get what they want no matter the cost.

[@chrislim7615]

Does that sound like some1that was:SA allegedly???

[@danedgar1539]

DONT YOU DARE AWARD THIS LYING WOMAN OR THIS LYING MAN ANOTHER CENT OF OUR MONEY!

[@christopherrankine1364]

If you hit the hornet’s nest, you get stung…

[@ChocolateOrange-qd7xd]

Women trust their male colleagues at 1am in the office. Please please be more careful. The occasional colleague will be bad

[@bloodangels-sonsofsanguini7992]

Higgins is a mole

[@craigm5713]

Credit to the judge reading all that for hours. But some of the big words he decided to use were a bit much: verisimilitude. Give me a break. Consider your audience. Its hours long. Did he have to force people to search dictionary every few minutes. But very well reasoned and argued

[@daddysbelt3990]

His audience is legally literate people. It isn’t meant to be intelligible to the public at large.

[@tatata1543]

That post didn’t reflect well on you, you realise that?

[@alistair7539]

You've still got time to learn something...

[@mcbean1]

If you needed to check the dictionary every few minutes, then please ensure you use a lawyer if you ever get into any legal trouble.

[@craigm5713]

@@mcbean1 ok i exaggerated. You got me. A couple of the words i had to laugh at though

[@westbeach8097]

Great that we could get a judge who is also a mind reader. A fantastic result if you can get it. Maybe he can tell next week's lotto numbers but that may be a stretch.

[@DavidNotSolomon]

Amazing that he was able to find out what happened from watching videos - without hearing from witnesses or allowing extensive defence from the accused. I really wonder why we bother with criminal justice trials at all -we should just give all these cases to judge Michael Lee

[@brumby92]

I suggest you watch the whole video. It was explained very well.

[@IB-1963]

@@DavidNotSolomon It was NOT a Criminal Trial for a start. It used to be the "Wisdom of Solomon" now more like the Ignorance is manifest. Evidence takes many forms - CCTV like many other sources of documentary evidence is far more reliable and much more can be gleaned when compared to drunkards with self serving agendas. What restriction with respect to your ambit claim "without hearing from witnesses or allowing extensive defence from the accused" are you whinging about????? Back to Cartoon Network for you.

[@juniperhart3208]

Lehrmann is Guilty. Morrison is Guilty. When is the Liberal Party disbanding now?

[@ChickenTendies888]

What if they did? What do you expect would happen? Have you thought this grand idea through?

[@Fenizrael]

I don’t think you’ve listened through the full account from this judge.

[@apopisso6302]

I didn’t watch this but I think Brittany needs to put all this behind her. I’m very sorry for what happened with that horrible man but I think she should now say” no comment,leave me alone”. The press must stop harassing her and she must ensure she stays away from the media, unless she likes the attention.

[@StratsRUs]

Liberal

[@williamwalsh962]

I think this judge was out of his depth here his job was to decide if the plaintiff was defamed or not he added.his opinion on the criminal case that took place in another court room that was not his job

[@JM-yz6zb]

do you understand that the truth of an allegation is a central defence against the allegation being defamatory?

[@mac4039]

@@JM-yz6zb Exactly right! There are no grounds for defamation if it’s truth!

[@seniorsergeanttomcroydon6401]

There was also no decision made in 'that other court' that would bind Justice Lee because the jury was discharged, and the DPP decided not to retry the matter. It was clearly open to Justice Lee to make his own finding. The fact that the judgment is 374 pages means he understands what was required of him. He's also cognizant of the fact that any decision he makes can be appealed to the Full Federal Court and subject to leave being granted, appealed all the way to the High Court.

[@bob-zi1eb]

You think the judge was out of his depth? Who are you? What are your qualifications?

[@pete-ex7qt]

I bet Bruce wishes he could claim his legal team was out of it's depth and he can get a refund. He can't though. He doesn't have the expertise. Quarter of a million at least in legal fees. At least. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@QanunAlShah]

Perhaps both parties were telling porkies because they didn't want to face the music that they were caught cheating on their respective partners in the boss' office? Just a thought.

[@JohnJohn-zn8ib]

Doubt it, Bruce likes the pros too.

[@seniorsergeanttomcroydon6401]

She liked it so much she just passed out in Reynold's office.

[@QanunAlShah]

@@JohnJohn-zn8ib That illegal?

[@JohnJohn-zn8ib]

@mshah2262 no but it didn't help with his case.

[@IB-1963]

@@JohnJohn-zn8ib What do you mean "too" Brit got $2M !!! all the others are what we down the Cross back in the day were called "Charity Moles"

[@williamwalsh962]

Brittany left and forgot her underwear 😂😂

[@QanunAlShah]

So a man who has no criminal record can be nationally broadcasted and defamed as being a criminal? How do you work that one out?

[@chrimbus71]

And a white one

[@jarrahkron9]

He literally asked for this bro, he lost his defamation case. No defamation occurred.

[@chrisneto]

Well, he lied to the court, so...

[@QanunAlShah]

@@chrisneto And Brittany didn't?

[@kelliephilipoom6198]

Don't know what to think anymore it's all so confusing

[@guestunknown3006]

So basically we can't prove or disprove that the crime happened. But it's okay if TV publically destroys his life and reputation cause there's a chance he did it? that's basically the gist, right?

[@danielwebb9889]

Its the process that is the penalty

[@user-ej5bk2ov9d]

No. On balance it was Lehrman’s lies that confirmed the judge’s suspicion

[@pete-ex7qt]

You put yourself in the public eye. That's what happens. He only has himself to blame. No ones shedding tears for Bruce Leerhman.

[@Brittanyjones-sf7rc]

@@pete-ex7qt He did put himself out there, the media and higgins did. She lied so to not to loose her job.

[@david-dj8or]

@@Brittanyjones-sf7rc She did not lose her job but was not happy to stop there.

[@david-dj8or]

She said she didn't want Bruce to become a millionaire. I'd rather he became a billionaire than she get millions of taxpayer money

[@genetenz]

What evidence

[@pete-ex7qt]

There is a 300 page plus judgement available to read. Lardar$e can appeal the judgement what's another mil in lawyers fees?

[@bigblockpop]

Retrial needed here

[@QanunAlShah]

Lehrmann's real crime was deigning to stand up to Her Royal Highness of the Left, Lisa Wilkinson.

[@bob-zi1eb]

Yeah. What?

[@QanunAlShah]

@@bob-zi1eb Can i get you a dictionary?

[@joshtownsend6313]

The judge played gymnastics in the courtroom. It was 110% political.

[@alistair7539]

Are you sure?! It felt as it everything that had gone before the ruling had been politics in one for or another...

[@mac4039]

@@alistair7539 Agree - it was Justice Lee who put all the previous political games to rest.

[@bob-zi1eb]

How so?

[@jayng153]

DONT, believe all woman.

[@mrmartis7868]

Flip side of the Depp case, the hater women will be happy

[@QanunAlShah]

I suppose after BH pashed BL in the nightclub in front of all their colleagues, she thought they were going back to parliament house at 2am for a cup of tea.

[@ChocolateOrange-qd7xd]

Pashed is not permission

[@QanunAlShah]

@@ChocolateOrange-qd7xd Oh didn't Brittany ask Bruce for permission before she pashed him? My mistake.

[@DavidNotSolomon]

How come she said her dress was pulled down when in fact it was removed? How did he remove it without her co-operation? Why did she lie? Also she said her pants were removed - but later admitted she had no pants on - why did she lie?

[@QanunAlShah]

Funny how there was zero assessment on the mental / drunkenness state of Lehrmann.

[@susanb4816]

Because it isn’t relevant

[@joshuafrimpong244]

Who cares about that?

[@QanunAlShah]

@@joshuafrimpong244 So I guess you believe in double standards then?

[@mac4039]

@@QanunAlShah BL signed entry documents for both himself and BH at the desk of Parliament House … that alone indicates he was far less affected than BH.

[@QanunAlShah]

@@susanb4816 Nice to know that you think a man's consent is irrelevant.