Bruce Lehrmann has urged an appeal court to overturn a finding that he raped his then-colleague Brittany Higgins in Parliament House, arguing that the evidence before the court did not support that conclusion. In a notice of appeal, filed in the Federal Court on Friday , Lehrmann sets out four grounds of appeal against the landmark decision of Justice Michael Lee on April 15 to dismiss his defamation suit against Network Ten and high-profile presenter Lisa Wilkinson. Bruce Lehrmann outside the Federal Court in Sydney on April 15 after his defamation loss.
Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Lehrmann has asked the Full Court of the Federal Court to set aside Lee’s decision and enter judgment in his favour. The handwritten words “Bruce Lehrmann” appear next to a line on the appeal form asking who prepared the document. It is not yet clear if a solicitor or barrister will act for him during any hearing.
‘Credibility problems’ A photo tendered in court in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial of what Brittany Higgins described as a bruise on her leg. The former federal Liberal staffer claims he was denied procedural fairness during his defamation case. He alleges Lee made findings in relation to Ten and Wilkinson’s successful truth defence that were not put to him when he gave evidence in the Federal Court last year.
The judge’s finding that the truth defence was established was “contrary to evidence” and did not meet the standard of proof, Lehrmann claims. He alleges Higgin.