Craid McLachlan harassment accusation in ‘eye of the storm’ of #metoo
GOLD Logie award-winning actor Craig McLachlan has found himself in the eye of a “complex storm” after being accused of sexual harassment and assault at a time where there has been “unprecedented public discussion” about sexual misconduct, a court has heard.
NSW
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GOLD Logie award-winning actor Craig McLachlan has found himself in the eye of a “complex storm” after being accused of sexual harassment and assault at a time where there has been “unprecedented public discussion” about sexual misconduct, a court has heard.
Justice Lucy McCallum said reports published about McLachlan’s alleged sexual harassment of three female actors addressed “the most difficult issue of recent times” being the “complexity and ambiguity of sexual and sexualised behaviour”.
McLachlan is suing the ABC, Fairfax Media and actor Christie Whelan Browne after media reports claimed he bullied, sexually harassed and indecently assaulted three female colleagues who he worked with during The Rocky Horror Show stage production.
He claims he was the target of a “smear campaign” and states the reports about sexual misconduct allegations brought him into “disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt”, according to court documents.
Justice McCallum’s comments about the complexities of sexual misconduct allegations were made during a preliminary hearing in the NSW Supreme Court today.
“[There has been] unprecedented public discussion of those matters — debate of which has seen views ranging from those who would dismiss a great deal of unacceptable conduct as mere joking to the French feminist reaction represented in the statements made by Catherine Deneuve to those … champions of the #metoo movement,” she said.
During today’s hearing, lawyers for actor Christie Whelan Brown accused McLachlan’s defence team of “victim blaming”.
As part of his case McLachlan claims Whelan Brown was dishonest about being offended by his alleged indecent assault because she often used bad language such as “C---“ and posted lewd images of herself on social media.
But barrister Lyndelle Barnett told this argument bordered on “victim blaming”.
Justice McCallum also questioned whether the actor should be labelled as dishonest for saying she was offended by the alleged indecent assault just because she used the word “c—“.
McLachlan’s barrister Stuart Littlemore QC said the articles and reports published a “catalogue” of accusations which could not all be proved.
“In a nutshell this man is written off in all respects as sexually offensive to all those he works with,” Mr Littlemore said.
Outside of court journalists asked Mr Littlemore how his client was faring.
“How would you be?” he said.
The matter is expected to proceed to a jury trial later this year.