Daily Times

One of Australia’s most decorated soldiers lost a landmark defamation case Thursday after a bruising trial filled with accusations of murder, domestic violence, witness intimidation and war crimes.

Ben Roberts-Smith, a former member of Australia’s elite Special Air Service Regiment, sued three newspapers for 2018 reports that alleged he was involved in the murders of unarmed prisoners in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smith denied the allegations and launched a multi-million-dollar defamation case in response. But after two years of proceedings, Justice Anthony Beskano ruled that the papers had proven the bulk of their allegations to be “substantially true” and dismissed the case against them.

The defendants hailed the verdict as a major victory for media freedom in Australia. But journalist Nick McKenzie said it was also a victory for servicemen who testified against their former comrade and for Afghan victims. “It’s a day of justice for those brave men of the SAS who stood up and told the truth about who Ben Roberts-Smith is — a war criminal, a bully and a liar.”

“Australia should be proud of those men in the SAS, they are the majority in the SAS.”