Bruce Lehrmann and two companions have been seen engaged in a tense confrontation with photographers near a pizzeria in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
On Easter Monday, the day after Network Ten submitted an urgent application to reopen his multimillion-dollar defamation case: Mr Lehrmann bailed himself out of his $2,000-a-week Balgowlah rental.
He spent the day alone, without guests and with the curtains closed, and emerged only after 7pm to join two companions and a dog outside The Village Inn, in Paddington, where photographers were waiting for him.
A friend, boater Rob Porter, was visibly frustrated by the media presence and suggested that Mr. Lehrmann’s privacy had been invaded.
Porter stood between the cameras and Lehrmann, who laughed nervously as the boater began taking pictures of the photographers with his phone.
The group then got into a car and drove about 500 meters down the road to Arthur’s Pizza.
Mr. Porter and another man exited the car, but Mr. Lehrmann remained inside the vehicle.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured behind his friend Rob Porter on Easter Monday.
Sydney sailor Rob Porter came to the defense of Bruce Lehrmann on Monday in Paddington.
Bruce Lehrmann (pictured) spent the day at home on Monday, before leaving after 7 p.m.
Lehrmann sued Network Ten and TV presenter Lisa Wilkinson for defamation over an interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project in 2021.
The case was heard in December last year and Judge Lee was due to deliver his verdict at the Federal Court in Sydney at 10.15am on Thursday.
However, The Ten Network will try reopen defamation case at an urgent interlocutory hearing at 5 p.m. Tuesday, claiming there is new evidence that was not available during the trial.
Ten’s application reportedly hinges on a 2,000-page affidavit from former Channel Seven producer Taylor Auerbach, who was on the team responsible for securing exclusive interviews with Mr Lehrmann on the network’s Spotlight programme.
If successful, the broadcaster could try to call Auerbach to see if he can clarify whether Lehrmann was responsible for leaking confidential text messages and recordings to Seven.
The leaked information had originally been collected by the Australian Federal Police during the investigation into Ms Higgins’ rape allegations, before parts of it were broadcast during Mr Lehrmann’s Spotlight interviews last year.
Evidence obtained by police during an investigation must not be used beyond judicial proceedings, known as the Harman undertaking.
WhatsNew2Day Australia does not suggest Lehrmann leaked the information.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured outside a Paddington pub with a friend on Easter Monday.
Taylor Auerbach (pictured) stopped working for Channel Seven last year. He took up a role at Sky News earlier this year.
The material transmitted included private messages from Ms Higgins, CCTV of Ms Higgins and Mr Lehrmann arriving at Parliament House on the night of the alleged rape in March 2019, and a recorded conversation between the former employee, her fiancé David Sharaz, Wilkinson and their network. producer Angus Llewellyn.
The chat lasted approximately five hours and was recorded in the run-up to Ms Higgins’ interview on The Project in 2021.
It was hugely embarrassing for Ten and Wilkinson as the TV presenter divulged her personal opinions on various politicians and used forms of war gaming to put pressure on the former Morrison government.
During the defamation trial, Mr Lehrmann was being cross-examined by Wilkinson’s lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, when he denied leaking the material.
Referring to Mr Lehrmann’s exclusive agreement with Channel Seven, Ms Chrysanthou asked: “In addition to granting the interviews, did you also agree to provide all information, documents, films, videos, photographs, articles and assistance?”
Mr. Lehrmann replied: “Yes.”
Mrs Chrysanthou asked: “And he did?”
He replied, ‘No, I just gave an interview.’
Matthew Richardson SC, a lawyer representing Lehrmann, also told the Federal Court last year that his client denied leaking the material.
Justice Lee he could ignore Mr. Auerbach’s evidence and proceed with sentencing at 10:15 a.m. Thursday, or he could allow Mr. Lehrmann’s lawyers to submit written observations on the affidavit.
You could also put Mr. Auerback on the witness stand or call Mr. Lehrmann to testify.
If Mr. Auerbach’s statements were admitted into evidence, Mr. Lehrmann’s credibility could be called into question.
It could also support Ten’s argument that the evidence presented by Mr Lehrmann in the defamation trial should not be accepted.
Brittany Higgins (right) and David Sharaz (left) appear in Perth last month.