Ben Roberts-Smith's Overseas Plans Revealed Before Dramatic Arrest
Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia's most decorated living soldier, was actively planning to leave the country and establish a new life overseas before his dramatic arrest last week, according to exclusive revelations. Sources close to the Victoria Cross recipient indicate he had made this significant decision prior to Australian Federal Police officers apprehending him at Sydney Domestic Airport on April 7.
Arrest During Family Holiday
The Daily Mail understands that Roberts-Smith, aged 47, intended to pursue international work opportunities, though the precise timing and destination of his planned relocation remain unclear. The former Special Air Service Regiment corporal was arrested alongside his partner, PR executive Sarah Matulin, and his twin 15-year-old daughters immediately after their flight from Brisbane landed in Sydney for a family holiday.
Armed police escorted Roberts-Smith from the aircraft last Tuesday morning, charging him with five war crime murder offences. The allegations concern the killing of two unarmed civilians during his deployment in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. Additionally, he faces accusations of aiding, abetting, or counselling another person to commit murder on three separate occasions during the same period.
Serious Allegations and Legal Proceedings
Each offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett stated that investigators will allege the victims "were not taking part in hostilities" and were "detained, unarmed, and under the control of ADF members when they were killed." She further indicated that evidence will suggest victims were shot either by Roberts-Smith directly or by subordinate members acting under his orders.
Roberts-Smith has consistently maintained his innocence regarding all war crime allegations. He currently remains in custody at the Metropolitan Remand Centre in Sydney's western suburbs, where Matulin visited him last Sunday. Inmates on remand are permitted two in-person or family tablet visits weekly, restricted to weekends between 8am and 1pm.
Bail Application and Career Background
The former soldier is expected to apply for bail this Friday when his case is heard at Sydney's Downing Centre. Should this application fail, he retains the right to reapply through the New South Wales Supreme Court. While the specific overseas position Roberts-Smith sought remains unknown, it likely connected to his media career following his military service.
After leaving the Special Forces in 2012, Roberts-Smith worked as general manager of Channel Seven's Queensland division, where he met Matulin. He resigned from Seven West Media in mid-2023 following an unsuccessful defamation action against Nine newspapers, which had published reports accusing him of war crimes in 2018. Media mogul Kerry Stokes, who previously funded Roberts-Smith's civil case and publicly supported him, has reportedly ruled out financing his criminal defence.
Investigation Context and Media Involvement
The Australian Federal Police and Office of the Special Investigator have commenced 53 investigations involving allegations of war crimes by Australian Defence Force personnel in Afghanistan. Of these, 39 are not being actively pursued unless further evidence emerges, while ten investigations into alleged criminal offences under Australian law connected to breaches of the Laws of Armed Conflict remain ongoing.
One investigation has already resulted in another former SAS soldier being charged with murder, with that case scheduled for trial in February next year. A source close to Roberts-Smith revealed that the decorated soldier had repeatedly offered to present himself to authorities if charges were forthcoming, claiming his legal team had communicated this willingness to both the AFP and OSI.
"Instead, he was arrested upon arrival in Sydney during a short visit with his children," the source stated. "In doing so, authorities chose to inflict maximum distress in front of his two young daughters. It is particularly concerning that media, including Nine News, appeared to have been notified in advance." A Nine News camera crew was indeed present at the airport to film the arrest.
Roberts-Smith, who earned both the Victoria Cross and a Medal for Gallantry for his service in Afghanistan, continues to deny all allegations of misconduct during his military career. The case represents one of the most significant war crimes investigations in Australian history, involving the nation's most decorated contemporary soldier.
