<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Bruce Lehrmann is at risk of arrest after failing to submit a medical certificate explaining his absence from court on car theft charges.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann and his lawyer Zali Burrows </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bruce-lehrmann-court-no-show-car-stealing-charge/61a8556c-7f18-4d7a-b49d-ec13251548ea" rel="" target="_blank" title="missed a date in Hobart Magistrates Court yesterday morning"><span>missed a date in Hobart Magistrates Court yesterday morning</span></a><span>, with the apologetic solicitor later appearing by phone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Burrows told the court via email that Lehrmann was "not available today due to urgent medical issues slash tests", seeking an adjournment.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-government-shutdown-forces-flight-cuts/a3136e68-88bf-44da-b9a5-48aaee31eaa3" target="_blank"><strong><span>Travel chaos looming as thousands of US flights to be scrapped</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police did not oppose the adjournment but also floated the prospect of a warrant for his arrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have a strong prima facie case," prosecutor Bunewat Keo told the court, of the November 2024 incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Magistrate Robert Webster then ordered the warrant, but asked for it to lie in court pending two conditions: the provision of a medical certificate, and that the pair appear in person for a rescheduled hearing on December 4.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/lehrmann-at-risk-of-arrest-without-medical-certificate/03029864-ab53-4cc4-b83e-cddb1745bdfc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-teacher-shot-by-student-wins-15-million-dollar-payout/3daff3e5-d72c-4b79-b99a-e30a49c47350" target="_blank"><strong><span>US teacher shot by six-year-old student wins $15 million payout</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His medical issues were not specified by Burrows, nor was it heard in open court.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Webster urged Burrows to inform her client to submit the medical certificate with haste.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Magistrates Court confirmed that as of noon today, no certificate had been presented.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In response to request for comment, Burrows told AAP a "professional standards command complaint has been made in respect of the prosecutor", declining to specify details.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite his medical issues, Lehrmann was able to appear in the Federal Court on Tuesday on an unrelated matter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Whether the failure to provide a medical certificate constitutes a violation of the court is within Webster's discretion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tasmania Police declined to comment, as the matter remained within the courts, and had yet to confirm the complaint about Keo's conduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/elon-musk-first-trillionaire-tesla-pay-packet-approved/a674adac-8ea7-454a-aea8-245907dddb7b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Musk on the cusp of being first ever trillionaire</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In court yesterday, Webster scolded Burrows for her failure to grasp the nature of the proceeding, a Tasmanian hearing known as a "contest mention".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The contest mention allows the parties to discuss evidence and learn their prospects of success before a full hearing, and can result in a changed plea.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Court documents seen by AAP show Burrows was informed at least four times of the contest mention, and specifically that it involved "case management and (testing the) strength of case".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On the day of the hearing, Burrows told the court, both by email and phone hookup, that she misunderstood this.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She also asked that the medical certificate be sealed, and not released to media.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Why would it be?" Webster replied.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police allege Lehrmann stole a Toyota Prado at Mountain River in southern Tasmania, and have the car owner's family, several officers and a service station owner lined up to offer evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A trial was abandoned in 2022 due to juror misconduct, but 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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lehrmann has appealed the defamation loss.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Support is available from the</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><strong><span>National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><strong><span>at</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/" title="https://www.1800respect.org.au/"><em><strong><span>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em></div></div>