David Sharaz served by lawyers as Linda Reynolds sues Brittany Higgins’ fiance for defamation

Brittany Higgins’ fiancé David Sharaz has confirmed Linda Reynolds’ lawyers have officially served him with defamation papers, after a court heard they could not find him for six months.

Mr Sharaz is being sued by the former defence minister in the Supreme Court of Western Australia over five social media posts, uploaded last year, that she alleges were ‘falsely defamatory’.

Senator Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett told the court on Thursday that his office had been trying to serve Mr Sharaz with a writ since January – without success.

It is understood Mr Bennett’s office sent emails to two Gmail accounts which belonged to Mr Sharaz, but were unmonitored.

Daily Mail Australia revealed on Saturday that Mr Sharaz had been ‘found’ – resurfacing near his home on the Gold Coast, sporting jeans and a green jumper.

Hours later, Mr Sharaz responded by posting an update on Instagram to say he received the writ and updated his contact details with Senator Reynolds’ lawyers.

Senator Linda Reynolds (pictured) is suing David Sharaz over five social media posts uploaded last year

‘FYI I’ve given them my ACTUAL email address,’ he wrote. ‘I’ve accepted service from Senator Reynolds.’

Mr Sharaz will have 21 days to formally respond, triggering the next stage of the case.

In court on Thursday, Mr Bennet said his office also tried to contact Mr Sharaz via his former employer, Southern Cross Austereo, but had no response.

He also pointed to media reports stating Mr Sharaz and Ms Higgins were living on the Gold Coast, but said it was not practical track down their address.

Supreme Court justice Marcus Solomon allowed Mr Bennett’s office to send the writ to the two personal accounts, and said Mr Sharaz was considered to have been served within 24 hours of those emails being sent.

It is understood Mr Sharaz hadn’t received the writ by Friday morning, but Mr Bennett said his office emailed it to him immediately following Justice Solomon’s orders.

David Sharaz revealed on Sunday that he received the writ from Senator Reynolds’ lawyers

According to the writ, seen by Daily Mail Australia, Senator Reynolds claimed she was defamed in three Twitter posts between January and December last year, one Instagram post in April, and one Facebook comment in December.

Mr Sharaz appears to have deactivated his Facebook profile, made his Instagram account private and removed about 2,000 followers recently. 

Senator Reynolds is seeking damages and an injunction against Mr Sharaz from publishing the allegedly defamatory material, and costs.

She is also seeking interest on damages at a rate of six per cent from the date of publication to the date of judgement.

Hours after Mr Sharaz’s matter was mentioned in court, Ms Higgins uploaded photos showing the couple celebrating Mr Zwier’s birthday at Flower Drum in Melbourne – featuring personalised balloons and a cake that said ‘Australia’s best lawyer’.

On Friday, she posted a photo of herself at the table between her friend Emma Webster and Mr Sharaz.

Mr Lehrmann was alleged to have raped Ms Higgins in Senator Reynolds’ parliamentary office in 2019, which he strenuously denies. 

Ms Higgins (centre) posted photos on Instagram of herself alongside Mr Sharaz (left) and her friend Emma Webster celebrating her lawyer Leon Zwier’s birthday at an upmarket Chinese restaurant in Melbourne – hours after Mr Bennet told a court he could not locate Mr Sharaz