Defamation case filed against 10

Former Coalition staffer Bruce Lehrmann has commenced legal action against Network 10 in the Federal Court.

He is also suing News Life Media, publishers of news.com.au.

Companies were sent legal letters in December but yesterday matters were formally filed with the court.

The exact nature of the case is unclear and neither media corporation has yet filed any documents in reply.

Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting Britney Higgins in the ministerial office of Senator Linda Reynolds, in March 2019.

The trial was aborted in October due to juror misconduct and the charges were later dropped altogether amid concerns about Higgins’ mental health.

Last week, the ACT government announced that an independent inquiry into the handling of the case would be completed by Walter Sofronoff KC, an eminent retired Queensland judge.

Updated: The Australian also reports Lehrmann has warned the ABC he will sue for defamation over its broadcast of the National Press Club address by Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame in February last year unless it takes down the YouTube video of the event, apologises and pays compensation.

Source: The Guardian, Daily Telegraph The Age