Ben Roberts-Smith is the most heavily decorated Australian soldier in history, with a Victoria Cross in 2011 and the Medal for Gallantry (MG) in 2006.
His gallantry was followed by his 2012 acceptance of Commendation for Distinguished Service for leadership as a patrol commander.
Despite his nation-honored military skills and reputation, Roberts-Smith has come under heavy media scrutiny since 2017. His actions in Afghanistan during his tenure as a SAS trooper have become an intense topic of discussion.
Meanwhile, Ben has filed a defamation lawsuit against three newspapers and three journalists in particular for articles against him.
Why Was Ben Roberts-Smith Targeted? Defamation Trial Verdict Of The War Hero
The decorated former army officer Roberts-Smith has maintained that the newspaper published him as a war criminal, causing him to file a defamation lawsuit against them.
Meanwhile, his reputation as a VC and MG holder caused his friends from the army to target him, Roberts-Smith’s attorney said in court, per The Guardian.
The famed military man has blamed his jealous comrades and credulous journalists, trying to bring his reputation down.
Roberts-Smith has denied any wrongdoings in all his military career and has argued that the articles citing his cruelty and murders are false and baseless.
The war hero’s long-running defamation trial against three newspapers is close to its closing verdict.
Both parties have stood to their claims and are fighting back against each other in the Sydney Federal Court.
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SAS Trooper Ben Roberts-Smith Wife Have Twins Together
Ben Roberts-Smith is divorced from his former wife, Emma Roberts Smith, with whom he has twin daughters, Eve and Elizabeth.
The former couple met in 1998 and got married in 2003, much to the aw of their families. They had their daughters in 2010 when Ben got deployed to Afghanistan.
Daily Mail UK reports on Mrs. Roberts-Smith’s struggles as a lonely woman during her delivery and worsening health conditions.
The former SAS trooper and Emma now share a bitter relationship after their 2020 divorce. In January 2022, Ben sued Emma, citing that she accessed confidential emails.
During their legal battles, several personal incidents came unfolding, which The Guardian has reported on. In the end, Ben got ordered to pay his ex-wife’s legal costs over the lawsuit.
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Ben Roberts-Smith VC Was Born To Affluent Parents In Perth
Ben Roberts-Smith was born Benjamin Roberts-Smith, the eldest child of his parents, Sue and Len Roberts-Smith, in Perth.
His father, Len, is a former justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Sam, is an opera singer.
Mr. Len Roberts-Smith was one of the inaugural Judges of the Court of Appeal Division in February 2005. He then served as Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia from May 2007.
Roberts-Smith senior retired from public service on January 31, 2011. He and his wife Sue are attentive to their family and Ben’s legal battles.
The elderly couple has often been photographed attending the court sessions and showing support for their son.