Lehrmann loses final bid to appeal Higgins rape finding

Disgraced former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann has run out of options to appeal a ruinous defamation loss, including a judge's finding that he likely raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.

The 30-year-old took his case against Network Ten to the High Court, where he challenged findings by dual courts that the broadcaster did not defame him by airing Ms Higgins' allegation during an interview on The Project in February 2021.

On Thursday, the High Court rejected Lehrmann's application for special leave to appeal.

Typically, the court refuses to hold a full hearing if it thinks an appeal does not grapple with a major question of Australian law.

In April 2024, Federal Court Justice Michael Lee first dismissed the 30-year-old's case against Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson, describing it as an "omnishambles".

The judge's findings, including that Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins on the balance of probabilities, were upheld on appeal by the Full Federal Court in December.

Ms Higgins had been out drinking with colleagues, including Lehrmann, in 2019 before the pair wound up at Parliament House in the office of their then-boss Senator Linda Reynolds.

It was there the alleged rape happened.

The 30-year-old Lehrmann has consistently repeatedly denied any sexual conduct occurred, saying he returned during the early hours to write notes about French submarine contracts.

This claim was roundly rejected by Justice Lee, saying the young man had been seen kissing Ms Higgins, whom he found attractive.

"Now does a man in a situation like that have French submarine contracts on his mind or does he have something else on his mind?" the judge quipped.

A criminal case against Lehrmann in the ACT was derailed due to juror misconduct.

A further trial was ruled out and no findings have been made against him in a court of criminal law.

The failed High Court bid could lead to Lehrmann being forced into bankruptcy due to court orders he pay a $2 million legal bill to Ten.

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