- Linda Reynolds responds to Brittany Higgins’ apology
Brittany Higgins shared a cryptic post on Instagram following Linda Reynolds’ blunt response to her “olive branch” apology.
Higgins has apologized to his former boss, Linda Reynolds, following a landmark Federal Court ruling that found his former colleague, Bruce Lehrmann, guilty of rape.
The verdict was handed down in Lehrmann’s defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
In his findings, Judge Michael Lee rejected Higgins’ claims that Reynolds was involved in a political cover-up of her sexual assault inside Parliament in 2019.
Brittany Higgins (pictured) has apologized to her former boss, Linda Reynolds, following a landmark Federal Court ruling that found her former colleague, Bruce Lehrmann, guilty of rape.
In a statement on Saturday, Ms Higgins wrote: “Senator Reynolds and Fiona Brown have also been injured and I am also sorry for that.”
‘My perceptions and feelings about what happened in the days and weeks after my rape are different to theirs.
“I deeply regret that we have not yet found common ground.”
Ms Reynolds shared her own statement on Sunday in which she said she “appreciated” Ms Higgins’ apology and hoped the court ruling would “give her peace”.
However, he noted that his own legal action against Higgins and his partner, David Sharaz, “was never about an allegation of rape.”
Instead, Ms Reynolds’ action centers on allegations that she “failed to support Ms Higgins”, which took a “huge emotional and financial toll”.
“I have fought for three years to expose the truth regarding my conduct,” he wrote.
‘What still exists between us are not different perceptions. It is a fact that Mrs Higgins received our support and that there was no cover-up. The common ground we find now must be based on truth.
‘As a matter of law, neither we nor Mr. Sharaz are bound by Judge Lee’s decision.
“If Ms Higgins does not accept Judge Lee’s conclusions on the allegations of cover-up and ill-treatment, then unfortunately it will have to be proven again at our trial scheduled for July this year.”
Higgins shared a cryptic message on his Instagram Story shortly after Reynolds’ statement was posted.
‘Ah. Marvelous. “Keep showing people the truth of who you really are,” Higgins wrote.
It comes as the countdown continues for Lehrmann to restore his tarnished reputation.
Earlier this week, the court found Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins in his former boss’s office inside Parliament House during March 2019 and dismissed his defamation case against Network Ten and TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson.
Appeals against a Federal Court ruling must be filed within 28 days, meaning Lehrmann has only 23 days left to appeal against Judge Michael Lee’s verdict.
It is important to note that proceedings in civil courts are conducted to a lower standard than those in criminal court.
Lehrmann previously faced a criminal trial over Ms Higgins’ rape allegations, but the trial was aborted due to jury misconduct.
A second trial was abandoned due to Mrs Higgins’ deteriorating mental health.
More to come.