Australian judge finds staffer raped colleague in Parliament office

A former government adviser raped a colleague in a Parliament House office, an Australian judge found, dismissing a defamation suit in a case that has gripped the nation.

SYDNEY — A former government adviser raped a colleague in a Parliament House office, an Australian judge found on Monday, dismissing a defamation suit in a case that has gripped the nation.

Bruce Lehrmann, a staff member in a previous government, brought a defamation suit against Australian media company Network Ten after it aired an interview with his accuser, Brittany Higgins, in 2021.

Justice Michael Lee of Australia’s Federal Court said on Monday he had found Lehrmann raped Higgins on the lower “balance of probabilities” standard used in civil trials, rather than that of “beyond all reasonable doubt” used in criminal trials.

“My conclusion on rape. Mr. Lehrmann raped Ms. Higgins,” he told the court in comments that were livestreamed to tens of thousands of viewers.

“I hasten to stress this is a finding on the balance of probabilities.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/australia-bruce-lehrmann-brittany-higgins-defamation-rcna147786

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