Afternoon Update: Lehrmann case judge labels evidence ‘sordid’; threat of floods in eastern NSW; and le crookie lands in Australia

Former Seven network Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach outside the federal court in Sydney on Friday. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Good afternoon. The reopened defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten continued today, with the federal court hearing further evidence from former Seven producer Taylor Auerbach.

The court heard claims from Network Ten that Channel Seven paid more than $10,000 for massages, drugs and sex workers for Lehrmann’s benefit, and that Lehrmann initially discussed a $200,000 payout for his interview. Justice Michael Lee described the evidence as “sordid” and questioned why it was relevant to the case and his findings.