Bruce Lehrmann has been ordered by a court to pay most of the legal fees incurred by Channel Ten and Lisa Wilkinson after an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit deemed to abuse court processes.
Bruce Lehrmann has been mandated by a federal court to pay most of Channel Ten and The Project host Lisa Wilkinson’s legal fees following his unsuccessful defamation lawsuit. The court determined that Lehrmann brought the case forward on a false premise, which the judge characterized as an abuse of the court’s processes. This legal battle relates to allegations that Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins in 2019, charges he denied.
As a result of the court’s decision, Lehrmann may face significant financial strain with the costs of the 24-day civil trial estimated between £8 million and £10 million. The court noted the suit inflicted substantial legal expenses on Network Ten, further emphasizing the financial risks associated with unfounded defamation claims.
Channel Ten’s legal representatives described Lehrmann’s actions in pursuing the lawsuit as “deliberately wicked and calculated,” influencing the court to rule that he should cover the majority of the incurred legal fees.
