[FairmontGS]

Roberts-Smith, witnesses not ‘honest and reliable’, court finds

Ben Roberts-Smith and the various witnesses he called upon during his defamation lawsuit against The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times were found to be not honest and reliable, Justice Anthony Besanko wrote in his full judgment.

“[Ben Roberts-Smith] was not an honest and reliable witness ... In addition, I have found a number of other witnesses were not honest and reliable witnesses,” the judge wrote.

“[Ben Roberts-Smith] has motives to lie, being a financial motive to support his claim for damages in these proceedings, a motive to restore his reputation which he contends has been destroyed by the publication of the articles and significantly, a motive to resist findings against him which may affect whether further action is taken against him.”

https://www.afr.com/politics/federal...0230605-p5ddw5