Expletive-laden messages between Ben Roberts-Smith's ex-wife and her best friend have been aired at the war veteran's defamation trial, as Emma Roberts denied seeking revenge or wanting to see him rot "in a jail cell".
Mr Roberts-Smith is suing the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times and three journalists over stories published in 2018.
He denies allegations in those articles of unlawful killings in Afghanistan, bullying and domestic violence.
Ms Roberts, who says she separated from the Victoria Cross recipient in January 2020, was cross-examined for a full day after being called as a defence witness by publisher Nine Entertainment.
The Federal Court heard that, in November 2020, her best friend, Danielle Scott, sent a text message that suggested putting their "heads together" to find a way to make her financially secure and declared: "It doesn't matter what happens to him or what jail cell he rots in."
Ms Roberts replied with "Yes" and the "praying hands" emoji.
"You would like to see my client in a jail cell," Bruce McClintock SC, for Mr Roberts-Smith, put to the witness.
"I absolutely would not," Ms Roberts replied.
The court heard Ms Roberts sent two "laughing face" emojis, which she agreed suggested a "degree of glee".
She referred to him as a "lying, cheating c***" and used the hashtag "#Titanic".
Ms Roberts said she was "very frustrated" and in a "very bitter divorce" at that time, but denied she hated Mr Roberts-Smith or that she sought revenge.
Mr McClintock also suggested she came to court to "inflict as much damage" as she could, which she denied.
"I hope Ben survives this nightmare," Ms Roberts said.
Ms Roberts agreed she was having her legal bill covered by Minter Ellison, Nine's law firm, which she assumed would be in the "tens of thousands" of dollars.
But she said she had no agreement with Nine for interviews once the case is over.
Ms Roberts was pressed about how her "closest confidante", Ms Scott, came into possession of the password for the pair's "RS Group" business email accounts.
Instead, Ms Roberts told the court that it was Mr Roberts-Smith who, in 2018, provided the password to Ms Scott over the phone, after a woman with whom he had had an affair attempted to contact him.
Ms Roberts said this was so Ms Scott could access the account to tell the woman to cease contact, at a time when Ms Roberts was suffering "severe anxiety" during her marriage breakdown.
Under questioning from Mr McClintock, Ms Roberts denied any knowledge that Ms Scott was "logging in all the time" after that period.
"It was a sneaky and dishonest thing for you and Ms Scott to be doing, wasn't it?" he asked.
"It's eavesdropping, isn't it?"
Ms Roberts denied she was eavesdropping.
The court heard Ms Scott was still accessing the account at a time when Ms Roberts had "effectively changed sides" after initially being slated to give evidence for Mr Roberts-Smith.
Ms Scott is expected to give evidence at some point in the trial.
Ms Roberts has also denied "fabricating" a story about USB drives buried in a lunchbox in their Queensland backyard, after claiming she and Ms Scott dug up the drives and reburied them after their contents was copied.
She claims that when Mr Roberts-Smith came to collect files and belongings in June 2020, she took before and after photographs of the site where the item was buried, then sent them to Ms Scott.
Allegations of buried USB drives were later aired on Channel Nine, however Ms Roberts has denied she passed any information — including the photographs — about the USBs to journalist Nick McKenzie, now named as a respondent in the case.
She agreed she had met Mr McKenzie in late February or early March 2021, in the presence of lawyers.
The trial, before Justice Anthony Besanko, continues.
