Bruce Lehrmann has filed a last-minute appeal against a judge’s dismissal of his defamation case and finding that he likely raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House. The 28-year-old had until Friday afternoon to challenge findings by Justice Michael Lee in April which dismissed his case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson.
He was ordered to pay costs on an indemnity basis earlier in May after the judge found he had brought the lawsuit on a false basis and had lied to police and the jury in a criminal case which was later abandoned. Lee has previously said Wilkinson is seeking to recoup more than $1.8 million in legal costs. Exactly how much Ten will want to get back is not yet known. While the defamation case is winding down, there are a number of other lawsuits still on foot stemming from Higgins’ rape claim.