Key Factors
- Ex-producer Taylor Auerbach has concluded testifying about Bruce Lehrmann in a defamation trial.
- Auerbach informed the courtroom Lehrmann stated that he would solely get entry to confidential paperwork “while you signal me”.
- Seven has broadly denied allegations made by Auerbach in courtroom.
This text comprises references to sexual assault.
A former TV producer alleges Bruce Lehrmann promised entry to paperwork when Seven signed him up for an unique interview on its Highlight program.
Taylor Auerbach, who beforehand labored for the Seven Community, informed a Federal Court docket defamation trial Lehrmann later leaked textual content messages extracted by police from alleged sufferer Brittany Higgins’ telephone.
Lehrmann, a former political staffer, is suing over a 2021 interview, throughout which Higgins alleged she had been raped in Parliament Home in 2019.
Lehrmann was not named within the interview, however he alleges he was identifiable and that the interview defamed him.
The messages got here from a doc compiled forward of Lehrmann’s trial for allegedly raping Higgins in Parliament Home in 2019, Auerbach informed the courtroom as he gave a second day of proof within the Federal Court docket on Friday.
Lehrmann rejects that something sexual occurred between himself and Higgins. His 2022 legal trial within the ACT was derailed resulting from juror misconduct, with prosecutors dropping the fees towards him over fears for Higgins’ psychological well being.
Lehrmann has additionally denied offering Seven with any data for the Highlight program, in addition to his interview.
Auerbach stated he helped woo Lehrmann to participate in an unique interview for Seven’s Highlight present affairs program.
In an affidavit, Auerbach stated he was additionally despatched messages between Higgins and journalist Peter Fitzsimmons, which made up a part of the confidential police file.
Auerbach stated he was despatched images of a doc on a laptop computer exhibiting screenshots of textual content messages between the pair.
He claimed the pictures had been taken by Highlight govt producer Mark Llewellyn, whose picture he claimed to recognise mirrored on the laptop computer display screen.
Auerbach informed the courtroom that in a dinner at Sydney restaurant Spice Temple in March 2023, Llewellyn requested Lehrmann if he had paperwork for the legal proceedings, to which he replied that he did.
Auerbach went on to allege that Lehrmann made copies of a few of an estimated 500 pages of double-sided paperwork from the legal case at Seven’s workplace at Eveleigh.
“I considered a number of the paperwork that had been being copied and will see that they had been reveals from the applicant’s legal proceedings,” Auerbach stated in his affidavit.
“I noticed, by the use of instance, Ms Higgins’ textual content messages.”
In accordance with Auerbach, Lehrmann informed him on a number of events that night he would solely get entry to the paperwork “while you signal me”.
Seven has additionally broadly denied Auerbach’s allegations, labelling them “false and deceptive” and including that it didn’t reveal journalists’ sources.
When known as as a witness on Thursday, Auerbach claimed he was tasked to babysit Lehrmann and courtroom him for the interview.
He informed the courtroom that on one event in early 2023, he and Lehrmann had dined collectively at an upmarket Potts Level restaurant in Sydney’s east earlier than going to a resort room within the metropolis.
“Channel Seven had put Bruce up on the Meriton for what he described as a ‘coming right down to Sydney to unwind’ sort of journey,” Auerbach stated.
When the pair returned to the resort suite, Lehrmann allegedly produced a bag of cocaine, which he bought throughout dinner, and started looking out the web for intercourse employees.
Auerbach stated he was involved by Lehrmann’s behaviour, texting his boss on the time Steve Jackson, that the potential interviewee was “on the warpath”.
“I feel I used the phrases, ‘that is f***ed’,” he informed the courtroom.
Justice Michael Lee had been poised to ship his ultimate judgment on the defamation motion this week, however postponed giving his ruling, permitting Community Ten to reopen their case after Auerbach’s claims got here to gentle.
If confirmed, Lehrmann’s alleged leaking of paperwork from the deserted legal trial could be in breach of what’s often known as the Harman enterprise, which prevents data not tendered in courtroom getting used for different functions.
Matthew Richardson SC, representing Lehrmann, put to Auerbach that he was being untruthful in his account with a purpose to injury his former employer and colleagues at Seven, which the previous TV producer denied.
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In case you or somebody you already know desires to speak about sexual assault or harassment, household or home violence, name 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or go to www.1800RESPECT.org.au
In an emergency, name 000.