Many narcissists have tried to twist the legal system. One thing sets this man apart

April 7, 2026 — 7:45pm

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The charging of Ben Roberts-Smith over alleged war crimes including murders of unarmed Afghan detainees and civilians marks a historic moment for Australia’s legal system and, more broadly, the nation.

For many Australians, especially those who have served their country, it will be deeply uncomfortable news. Every nation needs its heroes, and ever since the Anzacs, we’ve looked to our armed forces to produce them.

But democracies like ours are also underpinned by the rule of law and a free press – the Anzacs fought for those things.

That’s why the action against Roberts-Smith is so significant.

Just before the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor over his links with Jeffrey Epstein, the head of the UK Crown Prosecution Service reminded the British public that “nobody is above the law”.

What it took to win the biggest defamation case in Australia’s history

But that is precisely where Roberts-Smith, the son of a Supreme Court judge, had positioned himself.

The ex-soldier’s attempt to use the civil legal........

© Brisbane Times