A former political aide was scheduled to make an appearance in Hobart Magistrates Court this morning. However, complications have arisen regarding his attendance.
The individual now risks arrest unless he provides the court with a valid medical certificate. Additionally, he must be present, accompanied by his Sydney-based lawyer, Zali Burrows, for a rescheduled hearing on December 4.
A standstill occurred when Magistrate Webster declared he would not conduct proceedings over the phone. Meanwhile, Burrows encountered issues accessing prosecution documents due to password protection.
To resolve the situation, Webster issued a warrant but stipulated that it would remain inactive if specific conditions were fulfilled.
“I need a doctor’s note excusing him for the medical issues outlined in the email,” Webster stated.
He emphasized to Burrows that her client, Lehrmann, is required to appear on December 4, or he will face arrest.
Keo said police had a “strong prima facie case” that Lehrmann stole a Toyota Prado at remote Mountain River in southern Tasmania on November 20, 2024.
The car owner and her family, a service station worker and five police officers are expected to give evidence in the case, expected to take four days.
At a previous hearing, Burrows signalled she would challenge the Prado owner’s statement to police on the grounds it was different to assertions made in media interviews.
Lehrmann, a former Liberal staffer, has been the subject of various court matters since a 2019 alleged rape of then-colleague Brittany Higgins at Parliament House.
While a trial was abandoned in 2022 because of juror misconduct, the Federal Court in 2024 found on the balance of probabilities the rape did occur, dismissing his defamation suit against Network Ten and presenter Lisa Wilkinson.
Lehrmann has appealed the defamation loss.
