Bruce Lehrmann picks up new job as live-in nanny while awaiting defamation appeal, Qld rape trial

News.com.au

a day ago

Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann has taken up a new job as a live-in nanny while awaiting for an appeal of his defamation case and unrelated rape trial in Queensland.
Mr Lehrmann, 29, is understood to be looking after the family's children in an unpaid capacity.
The Daily Telegraph – who exclusively obtained details of the role, in addition to obtaining a photo of Mr Lehrmann at the movies – reports the former Liberal staffer has been taken in by a close family friend and is living with the family, who are outside NSW.
In a statement Mr Lehrmann's lawyer, Zali Burrows, said: 'Bruce really relishes the role he has in the children's lives and the family really adore him.'
'It's been a safe, happy sanctuary, away from the mental and financial turmoil he is going through,' Ms Burrows' statement continued.
It is understood Mr Lehrmann is continuing to study law, taking a particular specialisation in criminal law, while working in his new role.
In 2021, he was identified as the political staffer accused of raping fellow colleague Brittany Higgins inside Parliament House, following a night out in Canberra in 2019.
Mr Lehrmann has consistently maintained his innocence.
In 2022, he stood trial in the ACT Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Higgins, but the trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.
Prosecutors subsequently dropped the charges and did not pursue a retrial due to concerns about Ms Higgins' mental health.
In a subsequent high-stakes civil lawsuit, Mr Lehrmann claimed he had been defamed by an interview aired on The Project, where Ms Higgins first alleged she was raped.
Last year, Justice Michael Lee last year dismissed the lawsuit against Network Ten and Ms Wilkinson after he found – on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities – that Mr Lehrmann had raped Ms Higgins inside Parliament House.
He found 'Mr Lehrmann was hellbent on having sex' and 'he did not care one way or another whether Ms Higgins understood or agreed to what was going on'.
An appeal against Justice Lee's decision remains before the court.
Mr Lehrmann is also due to stand trial in Toowoomba District Court on two counts of rape, which stem from an alleged incident in the Garden City in 2021.
A date for trial has not been set and Mr Lehrmann has not yet entered a plea, but has previously indicated he will fight the charges.
Ms Burrows is representing Mr Lehrman in both his civil claim and his criminal trial – after he dropped his original legal team back in March.
During a call-over mention on May 22, Ms Burrows told the court there appeared to be a 'shroud of secrecy' over the investigation into her client.
'The Crown cannot confirm, at this stage, if there are any police notebook or diary entries in respect of this investigation, which is pretty concerning,' Ms Burrows said.