Ben Roberts-Smith once revered as a hero is now widely reviled as a murderer and an abuser of women due to a sustained media campaign shattering his reputation, a judge has been told.
The war veteran’s barristers began closing his Federal Court case on Monday, more than 100 days after commencing the proceedings against journalists and three mastheads.
The Victoria Cross recipient is seeking aggravated damages of up to 10 years or more in lost income from jobs including a partnership with consulting firm PwC and lucrative public speaking.
But Nicholas Owens SC representing the mastheads being sued for defamation said Justice Anthony Besanko faced irreconcilable accounts from Roberts-Smith’s friends harbouring a motive….