In the defamation trial of the century, Australia’s most-decorated living soldier seeks to defend his reputation against reports in three newspapers that falsely accuse him of being a war criminal. His lawyers argue Roberts-Smith has been unfairly targeted by envious comrades and assisted by credulous journalists. The newspapers’ lawyers say their reporting is true, and that Roberts-Smith broke the ‘moral and legal rules of military engagement’, something he denies outright. In June 2023, Justice Anthony Besanko dismissed Roberts-Smith's defamation case against the three publications.