Ben Roberts-Smith was a courageous soldier who sought neither decorations nor fame, but had a target placed on his back by his Victoria Cross, and his reputation torn down by jealous comrades, aided by credulous journalists, his lawyers have told the federal court in Sydney.
Closing submissions have begun in Roberts-Smith’s long-running defamation trial against three newspapers over reports he alleges defame him as a war criminal and murderer. He denies any wrongdoing.
