Lehrmann's Last Appeal Denied in Higgins Case

0:00The high court just shut down Bruce Lairman's last shot at appealing his defamation loss against Network 10. This wraps up years of legal battles stemming from Brady Higgins' claims that Lairman Raabeter and Parliament House back in 2019. Two federal court rulings already decided, on the balance of probabilities, that it happened after a night out with staffers. Lairman has always denied it, but now every appeal avenue is closed. The saga kicked off publicly in 2021, with Higgins' interview on the project. Lairman sued for defamation since he said he was identifiable, even unnamed. His criminal rape trial collapsed in 2022, over juror issues and media influence, leading prosecutors to drop charges because Higgins was, too unwell for a retrial. Public interests exploded during the defamation trial and Sidney, with thousands tuning into core streams online. This is included Higgins, her family, colleagues, and even a lip reader analyzing bar footage. The judge ruled the broadcast defamed Lairman, but was true enough to win for Network 10.

1:03Costs are piling up, with the court ordering Lairman to pay $2 million in legal fees. His lawyers worked pro bono, and recent appeals ran without a full team, including one he filed himself. Network 10 held off collecting until appeals ended. Higgins called this high court move a step toward finality, after a tough chapter. Lives changed forever, from careers to public trust and politics, and the full bill for Lairman lands now as the dust settles. From your city, powered by AI, this is Sidney News Today. I'm Corey, with the story.