In his first public statement since being charged with alleged war crimes, Ben Roberts-Smith criticized the police’s actions as overly dramatic.
Roberts-Smith, 47, addressed the media briefly on the Gold Coast in Queensland on Sunday afternoon, just two days following his release on bail from Silverwater Correctional Centre located in Sydney’s west.
“I recognize this case is without precedent and the public interest is immense, but I respectfully request that the media respect my family’s privacy during this period, especially my children, who have already been unduly affected by last week’s sensationalized arrest,” Roberts-Smith remarked.
He described the arrest as “an unnecessary spectacle” and acknowledged the challenging path ahead. “This journey will be long and arduous, but I assure everyone that I’ve never backed down from a fight in my life,” he asserted.
“I will never surrender and will always remain in the fight,” he added.
The decorated soldier, who has been accused of participating in the killings of five Afghans between 2009 and 2012 while serving with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan, expressed his eagerness to prove his innocence in court.
‘As I’ve always maintained, I categorically deny all of these allegations, and while I would have preferred these charges not be brought, I will be taking this opportunity to finally clear my name,’ he said.
‘I’m proud of my service in Afghanistan. While I was there, I always acted within my values, within my training, and within the rules of engagement.’
Ben Roberts-Smith has slammed the actions of police as ‘deliberately sensational’ in his first public address since he was charged with alleged war crimes
His partner Sarah Matulin was by his side as he gave a brief address to the media
Roberts-Smith also said he was ‘extremely proud’ of the men and women that served alongside him in Afghanistan and paid tribute to those who made the ‘ultimate sacrifice.’
He also thanked his partner Sarah Matulin, his ‘beautiful’ 15-year-old twin daughters, his parents and Ms Matulin’s family for their ‘unwavering’ support, and made reference to the ‘millions of Australians’ who had reached out to him to offer their support.
‘It means a great deal to me and is extremely humbling,’ he added.
As he wrapped up his address, Roberts-Smith said he wouldn’t be taking questions from reporters and quickly walked off hand-in-hand with Ms Matulin, who was standing beside him as he gave his statement.
Roberts-Smith was taken into custody on the tarmac at Sydney Airport on April 7 after a five-year joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI).
He was taking his teenage daughters on a shopping day trip to Sydney when he was arrested getting off a Qantas flight from Brisbane.
He had treated his girls to an Easter school holidays expedition and none of the group had checked any luggage.
Roberts-Smith was granted bail on Friday after Local Court Judge Greg Grogin said the former soldier would likely spend ‘years and years’ in custody if bail was refused.
Ms Matulin looked emotional as she looked up at Roberts-Smith during his address
The couple quickly walked off hand-in-hand after Roberts-Smith finished his statement
Roberts-Smith has been charged with five counts of ‘war crime – murder’ allegedly committed between 2009 and 2012 while he served with the Special Air Service in Afghanistan
Among the strict bail conditions facing him are restrictions on his travel outside of his home state of Queensland (unless for legal or medical appointments), the surrender of his passport, and the restricted use one phone and one laptop, the details of which must be provided to police.
He has also been banned from contacting any prosecution witness directly or through another party and was ordered to report to a police station three times a week.
The court also demanded a $250,000 surety, which would be forfeited if Roberts-Smith failed to attend court, or in any way breached his bail. It’s understood his father Len, a former judge, had offered to provide that surety.
He is due to face court again on June 5.
Roberts-Smith is accused under the Commonwealth Criminal Code of shooting dead an unarmed Afghan, murdering another with an SAS comrade, and ordering the execution of three more.
Roberts-Smith’s arrest came almost three years after he lost a defamation action against Nine newspapers, which published a series of reports in 2018 accusing him of being a war criminal.
The case against Roberts-Smith will be run by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and his defence funded by the Afghanistan Inquiry Legal Assistance Scheme.
Each of the charges against Roberts-Smith carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
He has always denied involvement in any unlawful killings.
