“Mrs Reynolds did everything to make sure Ms Higgins was OK,” Bennett told the court.
The rape allegation was found to be true to the civil standard by Federal Court Justice Michael Lee in Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network Ten, which the former staffer is now appealing.
A rape charge against him was withdrawn after his 2022 criminal trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.
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The lawsuit centres around allegations Higgins made via several social media posts Reynolds claims were false and defamatory of her in 2023, for which she is now seeking damages and aggravated damages.
Reynolds launched an almost identical action against Higgins’ husband David Sharaz, who bowed out last month after declaring he did not have the financial means to take the matter to trial.
Higgins has fiercely defended the action, which was the subject of two unsuccessful mediation attempts.
Reynolds has long maintained the fallout from the ongoing row has had a significant impact on her and others, and continued to call upon those involved to accept Lee’s judgment, which dispelled political cover-up claims.
The former defence minister is also still working to establish who controls a trust in Higgins’ name, which she claims was established to safeguard Higgins’ $2.4 million federal government pay-out amid fears it may prevent her from getting damages if she wins the defamation case.
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