Bruce Lehrmann has evaded a conviction related to a drunken joyride in a Toyota Prado, which was not his own, following a court appearance in Hobart on March 14, 2024. The incident involved Lehrmann taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent after his own car keys were confiscated to prevent him from driving.
During the proceedings at the Hobart Magistrates Court, Lehrmann accepted the charge of taking and driving a vehicle without consent. He was subsequently fined $100, a penalty he must pay within 28 days. Lehrmann’s lawyer, Zali Burrows, argued for his absence from court due to mental health concerns, but Magistrate Robert Webster insisted on Lehrmann’s attendance, stating there was no valid excuse to miss the court date.
After several discussions with his legal team, Lehrmann arrived to finalize the agreement, ultimately resulting in a fine rather than a more severe punishment. Magistrate Webster noted that he would consider avoiding a conviction provided Lehrmann maintained good behavior for a period of twelve months, largely influenced by Lehrmann’s lack of prior criminal history.
The incident reportedly occurred in November 2023 during a gathering in Mountain River, located outside Hobart. Lehrmann had been drinking when his keys were taken to prevent him from driving. Instead, he took another vehicle that had its keys left in the ignition and drove to a local establishment, where he purchased a drink and refueled the car. The vehicle was returned undamaged, but the owners filed a complaint with the police.
While Lehrmann dealt with this legal matter, he also faced significant challenges in a separate defamation case against Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson. On March 13, 2024, a Federal Court ruling upheld a previous finding that Lehrmann had raped Brittany Higgins in 2019. The court directed him to pay $2 million in damages after finding in favor of Higgins, who had alleged the assault during an interview on The Project in 2021.
After the ruling, Higgins expressed her relief on social media, commenting on the emotional toll of having her allegations contested in court. “I cannot begin to tell you how re-traumatising it is to have your rapist weaponise the legal system against you for daring to speak out,” she stated on Instagram.
Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations of sexual assault, and a criminal case against him in 2022 was ultimately dropped without any findings. Following the latest developments, Burrows indicated that Network Ten and Wilkinson had agreed to defer their legal costs pending an appeal to the High Court.
This series of legal challenges illustrates the complex interplay between public accusations, media coverage, and the judicial system, as Lehrmann navigates the aftermath of both the joyride incident and the serious allegations made against him.
