A look inside Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz’s tense behind-closed-doors trial with Linda Reynolds – as public mediation meeting is spectacularly demolished after the pair fly all the way from France

Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz flew all the way from France for a mediation hearing with her old boss Linda Reynolds.

But the two sides did not face off because the Western Australian Liberal senator wanted her own chamber at the court.

New details could be revealed on Tuesday at the mediation hearing between Ms Higgins, Mr Sharaz and Ms Reynolds.

It comes as Daily Mail Australia can reveal a planned conference of the parties scheduled for Wednesday has been sensationally scrapped.

Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz individually for defamation in the WA Supreme Court over a series of social media posts that she claims have damaged her reputation.

On Monday, Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz traveled from their new home in Lunas, France, to Perth for a court-ordered mediation session, hoping they could settle the dispute and avoid a costly six-week trial.

The group entered the courtroom at 10 a.m. Tuesday and left just before 7 p.m., without resolution.

Daily Mail Australia understands Ms Reynolds opted for a private room away from the couple on Tuesday, meaning a mediator had to spend the day traveling between the parties.

It is also understood that Mrs Higgins was not allowed to bring a chaperone with her, which is why her best friend Emma Webster was absent.

Ms Webster stood by Ms Higgins during both Bruce Lehrmann’s criminal trial and when Ms Higgins appeared in court for his defamation action against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Ms Reynolds said: “Discussions between the parties are ongoing today.”

“There will be no further comment.”

If the group fails to reach an agreement after the nine-hour session, it could mean the dispute goes to court later this year.

As she went to court on Tuesday morning, Hs Higgins told reporters she believes everyone went to the hearing “in good faith.”

Neither she nor Mr Sharaz answered any questions as they left court with their lawyers later that evening.

Ms Reynolds left with her lawyer Martin Bennett and her partner Robert Reid.

“Long day,” she said, grinning widely to the waiting media.

“It’s still ongoing, so it’s not appropriate for me to comment on it yet.”

Monday’s hearing was held as Judge Marcus Solomon urged the parties to resolve the issue before going to trial, citing the enormous costs often associated with defamation proceedings.

Ms Reynolds’ defamation case centers on social media posts fired by Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz.

She claims the messages implied she pressured Ms Higgins not to proceed with a complaint to police about her alleged rape, and interfered with Mr Lehrmann’s criminal trial.

The couples did not come face to face with Linda Reynolds (pictured on Wednesday) after the senator requested a separate room while mediation talks took place between lawyers

Ms Higgins is also accused of breaching a non-disparagement clause in a settlement contract she entered into in 2021, which prevents her from speaking negatively about Ms Reynolds.

The senator is seeking higher damages, an injunction to restrain Ms. Higgins from publishing allegedly defamatory material, and another injunction to restrain her from breaching the settlement agreement.

Ms Reynolds is simultaneously suing Mr Sharaz separately alleging he defamed her in five social media posts, which were allegedly ‘falsely defamatory’ and caused her ‘loss and damage’.

Ms Higgins alleged Lehrmann raped her at Parliament House in 2019, on the sofa of their former boss, Ms Reynolds. Mr. Lehrmann has consistently denied the allegations.

Brittany Higgins and her partner David Sharaz leave the David Malcolm Justice Center in Perth after flying in from their new home in France