Ben Roberts-Smith called alleged killing of unarmed Afghan teenager ‘beautiful thing’, court hears

Ben Roberts-Smith outside the federal court in Sydney during his defamation trial. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Ben Roberts-Smith told a fellow soldier he had shot an unarmed and captive Afghan teenager in the head with a pistol, and that killing him was “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen”, the former comrade has told the federal court.

Asked what had happened to a young man “shaking like a leaf” after being taken from a Toyota Hilux found with bomb-making equipment inside, the witness claimed Roberts-Smith replied: “I shot that cunt in the head. [Person 15] told me not to kill anyone on the last job. So I pulled out my 9mm, shot the cunt in the side of the head, blew his brains out. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”