Magistrate Rodney Higgins breaks silence on relationship with Ashleigh Petrie

Former magistrate Rodney Higgins defended his decision to claim Ashleigh Petrie’s super payout even though she had bequeathed the money to her mother.

A former Victorian magistrate who was engaged to a court clerk 45 years his junior has broken his silence on their controversial relationship almost two years after her death.

Rodney Higgins, 71, defended his decision to claim Ashleigh Petrie’s $180,000 superannuation payout even though she had bequeathed the money to her mother.

Ms Petrie was 23 years old when she died after running in front of a car in Metung in October 2019.

The incident followed media reports about the couple’s engagement.

Speaking to A Current Affair on Monday, Mr Higgins claimed authorities believed he deserved 100 per cent of Ms Petrie’s death benefit.

Mr Higgins told the program he believed his and Ms Petrie’s seven-month relationship had been true love.

Mr Higgins confirmed he had reconciled and moved back in with his former partner of 18 years - who he left for Ms Petrie - after the 23-year-old’s death.

Their very public relationship received significant scrutiny due to Ms Petrie’s age and the perceived power imbalance between the couple.

Ashleigh Petrie’s relationship with Magistrate Rod Higgins was made public in 2019.

The couple lived together in Victoria‘s Gippsland region for several months.

Mr Higgins later received the entire $180,000 superannuation and life insurance payout Ms Petrie had intended to leave for her mum, sparking a legal battle.

The recently retired magistrate told A Current Affair authorities believed he was entitled to the payout.

“They think I deserve 100 per cent of it,” Mr Higgins said.

“I just am sorry that a lot of people have been hurt out of this.”

Mr Higgins has spoken exclusively with A Current Affair, almost two years after Ms Petrie’s death.

Ms Petrie was only 23 when she passed away.

Family sources last month told the Herald Sun the family had been left devastated.

“What we want is for him to back off,” a source told the newspaper.

“There are two sides to this story. One is the strict legalities of it, the other side obviously is the moral side of it.”

As a magistrate, Mr Higgins earned $324,000 a year.

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Originally published as Magistrate Rodney Higgins breaks silence on relationship with Ashleigh Petrie