This story discusses sexual assault.
In a landmark decision on Monday, Justice Michael Lee found it probable that Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins.
Lehrmann lost his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson, after Justice Lee found the media parties had established on the balance of probabilities that Lehrmann raped Higgins in Parliament House in March 2019.
Lehrmann was suing based on the now infamous February 2021 interview on The Project in which former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins alleged she was sexually assaulted inside Parliament House while she worked there.
READ MORE: Justice Lee finds Bruce Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins.
Higgins alleged Lehrmann raped her in the office of then Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds in the early hours of Saturday March 23, 2019. Lehrmann has always strenuously denied any sexual contact with Higgins.
Announcing the verdict, Justice Lee said he "entirely rejected" Lehrmann's version of events in the ministerial suite.
"Mr Lehrmann raped Ms Higgins," he said. "I hasten to stress that this is a finding based on the basis of probabilities. As I've explained there's a substantive difference between the criminal standard of proof and the civil standard of proof."
Watch: Lisa Wilkinson reacts to the verdict in the defamation case. Post continues below.