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Former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann has lost a legal bid to access copies of all footage from a documentary featuring Brittany Higgins.<\/p>\n
Lehrmann had subpoenaed the producers of the documentary Silenced and signalled a possible attempt to ban its broadcast ahead of his Queensland trial for rape.<\/p>\n
![\"Australian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c5603c01105ec91ceab708598f01125c0b7f160e.jpeg\")
Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson; director Selina Miles; Colombian journalist Catalina Ruiz-Navarro and Brittany Higgins at the premiere of Silenced.Getty<\/p>\n
Judge Deborah Richards on Monday ruled to set aside Lehrmann\u2019s subpoena for a copy of the documentary, all unused footage and its schedule of distribution, finding the material was not currently relevant to the upcoming trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no legitimate forensic purpose in this subpoena,\u201d Judge Richards said.<\/p>\n
Stranger Than Fiction Films, the company behind Silenced, appeared in Queensland District Court in Toowoomba on June 18 to respond to Lehrmann\u2019s demands.<\/p>\n
Silenced is a post #MeToo movement documentary that \u201creveals how defamation laws are weaponised to silence survivors,\u201d according to Stranger Than Fiction Films\u2019 court filings.<\/p>\n
![\"Bruce](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/28c4b8672960e0a03a12024f5f496e80ee8c2d27.jpeg\")
Bruce Lehrmann leaves the Magistrates Court in Toowoomba at a past hearing in 2024.Dan Peled<\/p>\n
Stranger Than Fiction Films\u2019 barrister Dauid Sibtain had argued against the subpoena in court, saying Silenced did not make reference to Lehrmann\u2019s upcoming trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe say it was an abuse of process,\u201d Sibtain previously said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt lacks a legitimate forensic purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lehrmann\u2019s solicitor Zali Burrows had told Richards she had subpoenaed copies of the film and any \u201craw unedited b-roll\u201d footage that may be used to promote its release.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr Lehrmann has the opportunity to see if any of that material should be subject for an application injunction that it not be published prior to or during the trial,\u201d Burrows had said.<\/p>\n
Lehrmann, 30, is set to stand trial from November 2, accused of twice raping a woman at a house in regional Queensland in 2021.<\/p>\n
He has yet to enter a plea but has previously said via his solicitor he will contest the charges<\/p>\n
Former colleague Brittany Higgins has previously been part of other legal actions involving Lehrmann.<\/p>\n
Silenced\u2019s \u201cbehind-the-headlines interviews reveal how the legal system is being used to victimise, discredit and ruin survivors,\u201d Sydney Film Festival has stated.<\/p>\n
Higgins was listed as a major interview subject alongside human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and actress Amber Heard.<\/p>\n
Richards had heard the film could be prejudicial to potential jurors for Lehrmann\u2019s rape trial in Queensland as they could be reminded of his prior court cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe promotion of the broadcast is likely to confuse the potential jury pool what [Higgins] is alluding to or saying about her experience,\u201d Burrows previously said.<\/p>\n
Sibtain said earlier this month the film was already screening and Lehrmann\u2019s prior court cases had already been the subject of extensive media reporting.<\/p>\n
Stranger Than Fiction Films has sought costs from Lehrmann.<\/p>\n
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