Bruce Lehrmann one of Australia's most hated men, lawyer says

A lawyer trying to represent Bruce Lehrmann in a property dispute claims media attention has left him as one of the most hated men in Australia, unable to appear in court or effectively argue his case.

Lehrmann is alleged to have caused more than $13,000 in damage to a multimillion-dollar home he rented as part of an exclusive TV interview deal.

Gaenor Meakes, the owner of the home on Sydney’s northern beaches, rented the property to Lehrmann, while the Seven Network picked up the $100,000 bill.

She has since lodged proceedings against Lehrmann on the grounds of property damage and loss of rent, claiming Lehrmann left her with a $13,250 repair bill when he moved out.

Ms Meakes claimed she was also owed $6000 in lost rent.

Lawyer Zali Burrows sought to represent Lehrmann at a conciliation hearing in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday.

She argued he was forced out of the state because of “media harassment” and the publicity surrounding him meant he had been unable to argue his case effectively.

“He’s arguably one of the most hated men in Australia,” she told the tribunal.

“Because of the unprecedented media attention ... he’s not in a position to argue effectively.”

Ms Burrows said the 29-year-old was currently living in Tasmania to escape the spotlight.

Tribunal member Susan Corley noted the parties did not need to be legally represented unless there were “complexities of law or fact or other compelling reasons” involved.

Ms Burrows said Lehrmann was currently in the Federal Court, adding that he had not been served any documents in the property dispute.

“He’s learnt about these proceedings through the media,” she said.

Lehrmann also took issue with the fact that Ms Meakes’ daughter Matilda, who is representing her mother in the matter, had spoken to the media after a previous tribunal date.

Comments made following a hearing earlier in June were made “with a bit of malice or to form a view against him”, Ms Burrows said.

When previously asked if the family were aware Lehrmann was the tenant of the luxury property, Matilda Meakes told reporters: “I don’t think anyone would willingly rent to him, would they?”

Both parties on Thursday agreed to have the case transferred to the local court after concerns were raised over jurisdictional limitations with Lehrmann not permanently living in NSW.

The tribunal listing came on the same day Lehrmann was ordered to pay Network Ten $2 million in legal costs after losing his high-stake defamation case against the broadcaster.

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee in April found he was not defamed by a report on The Project that effectively outed him as an alleged rapist.

He found, on the balance of probabilities, that the 29-year-old sexually assaulted Brittany Higgins in the Parliament House office of their then-boss Senator Linda Reynolds in March 2019.

Justice Lee noted Lehrmann was unlikely to be able to pay the multimillion-dollar legal bill as he was “a man of modest means”.

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