Former sexual assault suspect sues media giants for defamation

A man whose career and reputation were ruined through heavily-biased media coverage of a claim of sexual assault in Parliament House, Canberra, has commenced defamation proceedings against mainstream media companies and its reporters.

Bruce Lehrmann has filed two civil claims for defamation in the Federal Court of Australia over reports which strongly suggested he in fact sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins in 2019, well before the claims had been tested in court, and in contravention of court orders that the media refrain from such reporting.

The charge of sexual intercourse without consent brought against the former Liberal Party staffer was formally withdrawn in January of this year, after a jury was sensationally discharged during the deliberation process when it was discovered a juror had engaged in jury misconduct by bringing a report about sexual assault allegations into the jury room, thereby contravening the judge's direction not to consider