The Daily Telegraph’s “zealous if not desperate” attempt to again amend its defence in the defamation lawsuit brought by actor Geoffrey Rush has been rejected by a federal court judge.
The Telegraph denies the articles made Rush out to be a pervert and a predator, arguing no allegations of a sexual nature were made.
The judge has previously thrown out the newspaper’s truth defence and three paragraphs of its qualified privilege defence.
The judge listed the defamation hearing for 3 September and ordered the parties to mediate before then.