British TV chef Nigella Lawson has shared her support for Lisa Wilkinson after she won her libel case against Bruce Lehrmann.
Lehrmann sued Network Ten and Wilkinson for defamation following a February 2021 report on The Project, in which Brittany Higgins claimed he raped her in a Parliament office almost two years previously.
Federal Court Judge Michael Lee ruled in favor of Network 10 on Monday, determining its report was truthful in its allegations against Lehrmann.
Hours after the verdict was read, Lawson took to X, formerly Twitter, to congratulate Wilkinson.
“So proud of Lisa Wilkinson. And I’m so relieved for all of us,” she wrote.
Nigella Lawson (right) congratulated Lisa Wilkinson (left) on her libel victory against accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann
Peter FitzSimons, Wilkinson’s husband, responded to Lawson, writing simply: “Thank you, Nigella.
Wilkinson and Lawson have interacted several times, including in 2016, when Wilkinson had a “girl crush” moment with the celebrity chef.
She had shared a selfie of her and Lawson making a recipe from her cookbook, Simply Nigella.
Lawson also recently shared the love in an Instagram post that Wilkinson captioned: “Some days are diamonds.”
Lawson commented: “And some people are Diamonds!
Judge Lee told the court on Monday that “Mr Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins”.
His conclusion was reached according to the standard of the civil courts – the balance of probabilities, rather than the standard beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard of the criminal courts.
Outside court, a vindicated Ms Wilkinson said: “Today the Federal Court found that I published a true story about a rape in the office of a federal politician in March 2019.
“I sincerely hope that this judgment will give strength to women across the country.
Lisa Wilkinson has thanked the public by winning the defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann against her and Network Ten.
Lisa Wilkinson (right) hugged her lawyer Sue Chrysanthou KC outside the courtroom and thanked her warmly.
“I am also very grateful to have had the benefit of our independent legal team.”
She thanked her lawyer Sue Chrysanthou KC for her “expertise and wise advice” which has been “a continuing source of strength for me over the past 14 months”.
Wilkinson also thanked his family, friends and “generous” members of the public who often approach him in tears.
“Every step of the way, I have been surrounded by the love of my incredibly supportive family.
“As well as incredibly supportive friends and colleagues. I can never thank them enough.
“I also wanted to say how grateful I am to the members of the public who have approached me almost every day to express, often in tears, their unwavering support.”
Wilkinson’s husband, Peter FitzSimons, tweeted that he was “very proud.”
Bruce Lehrmann didn’t say a word as he charged through the press kit following Judge Lee’s ruling
In contrast, Lehrmann didn’t say a word as he looked through the press kit following the decision.
The former Liberal staffer sat with his head bowed as he listened to the judge’s findings.
“This was a 23-year-old man who was cheating on his girlfriend, having just ‘hooked up’ with a woman he found sexually attractive,” Judge Lee said.
“Human experience suggests that what he then wanted to happen is not really shrouded in mystery.”
The judge said Lehrmann was “determined to have sex with a woman he found sexually attractive, kissed and touched each other passionately…and knew she had reduced his inhibition.”
“He didn’t care one way or the other whether Ms. Higgins understood or consented to what was happening.
Judge Lee determined that, contrary to Lehrmann’s testimony, sexual intercourse occurred and that Ms. Higgins did not consent.
“I am satisfied that there was sexual intercourse,” the judge said.
Judge Lee said Mr Lehrmann was “on top of” Ms Higgins and she was unable to move off the sofa.
Mr. Lehrmann initiated defamation proceedings after the criminal trial collapsed. The judge said of the decision: “After escaping the lions’ den, Mr. Lehrmann made the mistake of returning for his hat.”
Had the 28-year-old won his defamation case, he would have been entitled to only a “very modest” $20,000 in damages given the limited nature of the damage caused by Ten’s reporting , said Judge Lee.
While a Logies speech by Lisa Wilkinson in The Project segment derailed the criminal proceedings against Lehrmann and denied him the right to a fair trial, it gave his legal team more time to attack Lehrmann’s allegations. Mrs. Higgins.
The criminal case against Lehrmann was dropped in 2022 without any findings against him.
“After escaping the lion’s den, Mr. Lehrmann made the mistake of returning for his hat,” Judge Lee said.
Judge Lee described Lehrmann and Ms Higgins as “unreliable historians” when recounting what happened that fateful night.
The judge said Ms Higgins had failed to reveal the truth about allegations made to Ten in 2021 that members of the then coalition government had sought to silence her by reporting the alleged rape.
But Justice Lee found that any incorrect statements made to police in 2019 were not inconsistent with comments made by an actual victim of sexual assault.
Judge found all of Brittany Higgins’ incorrect statements to police in 2019 explainable
The judge also criticized Ten for her conduct after Wilkinson gave a speech in which she praised Higgins’ courage just eight days before Lehrmann’s criminal trial.
The judge pointed out that Ms Wilkinson had sought advice, but Network Ten had failed her by suggesting she deliver the speech in support of Ms Higgins.
“Ten’s conduct… was completely inappropriate and unjustifiable. »