Top Australian soldier loses appeal over war crimes defamation case2 days ago Share Save Tiffanie Turnbull BBC News Reporting from Sydney Share SaveGetty Images Ben Roberts-Smith's defamation case has been called the "trial of the century"Australia's most-decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, has lost an appeal against a landmark defamation judgement which found he committed war crimes. A judge in 2023 ruled that news articles alleging the Victoria Cross recipient had murdered four unarmed Afghans were true, but Mr Roberts-Smith had argued the judge made legal errors. The civil trial was the first time in history any court has assessed claims of war crimes by Australian forces. A panel of three Federal Court judges on Friday unanimously upheld the original judgement, though Mr Roberts-Smith has said he will appeal the decision to the High Court of Australia "immediately". Mr Roberts-Smith, who left the defence force in 2013, has not been charged over any of the claims in a criminal court, where there is a higher burden of proof.