CTHE PUBLICATIONS
41 Mr Lehrmann sues on three matters published on 15 February 2021, being the Project programme:
- (1) broadcast on Network Ten;
- (2) published on the 10 Play website; and
- (3) published on The Project's YouTube channel.
42 The substance of each matter is relevantly identical, and the transcript of the programme, being an aide memoire to Ex 1, is annexed to these reasons as Annexure A. I will refer to the impugned matters collectively as the Project programme.
43 Mr Lehrmann in the statement of claim (SOC) says the Project programme, in its natural and ordinary meaning, was defamatory of him and carried the following imputations:
| SOC Reference | Imputation |
| [4(a)]; [6(a)]; [8(a)] | [Mr Lehrmann] raped Brittany Higgins in Defence Minister Linda Reynolds' office in 2019. |
| [4(b)]; [6(b)]; [8(b)] | [Mr Lehrmann] continued to rape Brittany Higgins after she woke up mid-rape and was crying and telling him to stop at least half a dozen times. |
| [4(c)]; [6(c)]; [8(c)] | [Mr Lehrmann], whilst raping Brittany Higgins, crushed his leg against her leg so forcefully as to cause a large bruise. |
| [4(d)]; [6(d)]; [8(d)] | After [Mr Lehrmann] finished raping Brittany Higgins, he left her on a couch in a state of undress with her dress up around her waist. |
44 Network Ten and Ms Wilkinson deny the matters concerned Mr Lehrmann but, if they did, they admit the pleaded imputations were conveyed, and are defamatory of Mr Lehrmann: Network Ten's defence (at [4(b)], [6(b)], [8(b)]); Ms Wilkinson's defence (at [4.3], [4.4], [6.3], [6.4], [8.3], [8.4]).
