Key Factors
- Ex-producer Taylor Auerbach has concluded testifying about Bruce Lehrmann in a defamation trial.
- Auerbach advised the court docket Lehrmann mentioned that he would solely get entry to confidential paperwork “if you signal me”.
- Seven has broadly denied allegations made by Auerbach in court docket.
This text accommodates 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, advised a Federal Court docket defamation trial Lehrmann later leaked textual content messages extracted by police from alleged sufferer Brittany Higgins’ cellphone.
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 advised the court docket 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 costs towards him over fears for Higgins’ psychological well being.
Lehrmann has additionally denied offering Seven with any info for the Highlight program, apart from his interview.
Auerbach mentioned he helped woo Lehrmann to participate in an unique interview for Seven’s Highlight present affairs program.
In an affidavit, Auerbach mentioned he was additionally despatched messages between Higgins and journalist Peter Fitzsimmons, which made up a part of the confidential police file.
Auerbach mentioned he was despatched images of a doc on a laptop computer displaying screenshots of textual content messages between the pair.
He claimed the images had been taken by Highlight government producer Mark Llewellyn, whose picture he claimed to recognise mirrored on the laptop computer display screen.
Auerbach advised the court docket 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 seen among the paperwork that had been being copied and will see that they had been reveals from the applicant’s legal proceedings,” Auerbach mentioned in his affidavit.
“I noticed, by the use of instance, Ms Higgins’ textual content messages.”
Based on Auerbach, Lehrmann advised him on a number of events that night he would solely get entry to the paperwork “if 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 referred to as as a witness on Thursday, Auerbach claimed he was tasked to babysit Lehrmann and court docket him for the interview.
He advised the court docket 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 lodge 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’ form of journey,” Auerbach mentioned.
When the pair returned to the lodge suite, Lehrmann allegedly produced a bag of cocaine, which he bought throughout dinner, and commenced looking out the web for intercourse staff.
Auerbach mentioned 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 advised the court docket.
Justice Michael Lee had been poised to ship his closing 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 mild.
If confirmed, Lehrmann’s alleged leaking of paperwork from the deserted legal trial can be in breach of what’s often known as the Harman enterprise, which prevents info not tendered in court docket getting used for different functions.
Matthew Richardson SC, representing Lehrmann, put to Auerbach that he was being untruthful in his account to be able to harm his former employer and colleagues at Seven, which the previous TV producer denied.
If this story has raised any points for you, assist is on the market at Lifeline on 13 11 14.
For those who or somebody you already know needs 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.
