Ben roberts smith issues first statement on release from jail on bail 20260419 p5zp6b.html – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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This was published 4 months ago

Ben Roberts-Smith reports to police after his release on bail

Richard Wood
Richard Wood

Updated . First published

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Ben Roberts-Smith has reported to police this morning for the first time since he was granted bail.

It comes after the former SAS soldier and accused war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith denied all allegations against him in his first public statement released yesterday.

The 47-year-old Victoria Cross recipient was arrested on April 7 and charged with murdering or ordering the murders of five unarmed detainees while deployed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

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Reading from a short statement on the Gold Coast, he rejected the allegations.

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Ben Roberts-Smith outside a police station in New South Wales, Monday, April 20, 2026.

Ben Roberts-Smith has reported to police this morning for the first time since he was granted bail. AAP

Ben Roberts-Smith

Accused war criminal and former SAS soldier reads his statement denying all allegations. 9News

"For the past 10 years, my family and I have been subject to a campaign to convince Australians that I've acted improperly in my service in Afghanistan.

"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.

"I'm proud of my service in Afghanistan."

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He closed by saying he'd "never run from a fight in my life".

Roberts-Smith successfully applied for bail at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court last Friday. He was released from Silverwater Correctional Centre before travelling back to Queensland.

He has consistently proclaimed his innocence.

War crime allegations against Roberts-Smith were first exposed by the now Nine-owned Fairfax Media in 2018.

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The war veteran sued for defamation in the Federal Court but suffered a crushing defeat with a judge finding the accusations of murder were, on the balance of probabilities, true.

He failed to overturn these findings on appeal to the full Federal Court and the High Court.

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