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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Ben Doherty

Ben Roberts-Smith trial: key witness for soldier in defamation case arrested by AFP

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One of the witnesses in Ben Roberts-Smith’s war crimes defamation trial has been charged over the alleged assault of a police officer. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP

One of the witnesses in Ben Roberts-Smith’s war crimes defamation trial has been arrested and charged over the alleged assault of a police officer.

The former soldier, whose identity has been suppressed, faces two charges: obstruct, hinder, intimidate, or resist a commonwealth official; and cause harm to a commonwealth judicial or law officer.

He gave evidence, called by Roberts-Smith, as part of Roberts-Smith’s defamation case against three newspapers he alleges defamed him in a series of articles that accused him of committing war crimes, including murder.

The newspapers are pleading a defence of truth. Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, denies any wrongdoing.

The charged former soldier, given the pseudonym Person X in Sydney local court on Wednesday, appeared via video link from custody, wearing handcuffs, a blue suit and white shirt.

He was granted bail subject to conditions, on a $10,000 surety, by magistrate Alison Viney.

The Guardian understands the charges relate to the alleged assault of a police officer, after the AFP attended Person X’s hotel room on Tuesday night to execute a search warrant.

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