Bruce Lehrmann appeals against federal court judgment in defamation trial that found he raped Brittany Higgins

Bruce Lehrmann has lodged a notice of appeal against the federal court judgment in his defamation claim against Network Ten and presenter Lisa Wilkinson which found that on the balance of probabilities he raped Brittany Higgins on a minister’s couch in Parliament House in 2019.

Lehrmann has always denied the allegation and pleaded not guilty at the criminal trial of the matter, which was aborted due to juror misconduct and Higgins’ mental health was cited as the reason for no retrial.

Related: Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial: why legal costs could run to $10m

In April Justice Michael Lee found the former Liberal staffer was not defamed by Wilkinson and Ten when The Project broadcast an interview with Higgins on Monday 15 February 2021 in which she alleged she was raped by a staffer.

“In summary, I consider it more likely than not in those early hours, after a long night of conviviality and drinking and having successfully brought Ms Higgins back to a secluded place, Mr Lehrmann was hellbent on having sex with a woman he found attractive” and knew was inebriated, Lee said.

“He did not care one way or the other whether Ms Higgins understood or agreed to what was going on.”

Lee said of Lehrmann’s decision to bring the civil case against Channel Ten and Wilkinson after his criminal trial was aborted: “Having escaped the lion’s den, Mr Lehrmann made the mistake of going back for his hat.”