EXCLUSIVE: News Corp settles with Bruce Lehrmann after he filed suit over articles in which Brittany Higgins first claimed she was raped in Parliament House
- Bruce Lehrmann initiated legal action in February
- News.com.au settled the libel suit on Tuesday
News Corp has settled a defamation case with Bruce Lehrmann over reports in which Brittany Higgins first alleged that he raped her in Parliament House.
Mr. Lehrmann filed legal action in February against News Life Media, a division of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which operates news.com.au.
The lawsuit was brought in response to articles published on the news website by journalist Samantha Maiden in February 2021, which first detailed Ms Higgins’ rape allegations.
Mr Lehrmann was not named in the articles, but he claimed his former colleagues in the parliament building were able to identify him as the alleged offender. He has consistently maintained his innocence.
The case was scheduled to be heard in Sydney federal court in November. However, Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that the media giant has reached a settlement – with News Life Media contributing to Mr Lehrmann’s legal costs.
Brittany Higgins (center) is pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court in October, during Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial
On Tuesday, the media giant added disclaimers to two online articles detailing Ms Higgins’ allegations.
“Bruce Lehrmann initiated a defamation suit alleging that this article accused him of sexually assaulting Brittany Higgins,” the disclaimer read.
This proceeding was terminated and resolved on terms satisfactory to Mr. Lehrmann and the publisher of this website.
News.com.au notes that a criminal charge of assault was filed against Mr Lehrmann and later dropped. News.com.au does not suggest he was guilty of that charge.”
Federal court records showed that Lehrmann dropped his lawsuit on Tuesday.
Mr Lehrmann is still suing Channel 10, which also initially published the claims, for defamation of a similar report.
He is also suing the ABC over a National Press Club broadcast of a speech Mrs Higgins gave with then Australian of the Year Grace Tame.
Bruce Lehrmann was accused of raping Brittany Higgins in 2019. He continues to insist he is innocent
