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• Ben Roberts-Smith was taken into custody on Tuesday
• Experienced Heston Russell calls for proper procedure

A veteran of special forces, Heston Russell, has spoken out against the media’s portrayal of Ben Roberts-Smith’s arrest, following the former SAS soldier’s detention on suspicion of…war crimesin the presence of his adolescent daughters.

Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most highly recognized active soldier, was taken into custody atSydneyAirport on Tuesday morning following a flight fromBrisbane. 

He was subsequently charged with two instances of war-related offenses.crimeof homicide and three instances of assisting or encouraging those crimes.

A 47-year-old is charged with killing unarmed people during their deployment inAfghanistanfrom 2009 to 2012, and for not stopping members of his group from killing three people.

Every offense is subject to a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Roberts-Smith, who received the Victoria Cross and a Gallantry Medal, has repeatedly denied any misconduct while serving in the Australian Defence Force.

With increased attention on the decorated soldier’s arrest, former commando Heston Russell criticized the media, targeting a Nine News headline suggesting Roberts-Smith’s Victoria Cross was “now in jeopardy.”

Fully wrong, 9News,’ he stated on social media. ‘The action for which Ben received his Victoria Cross has never been disputed – the medal is given for a particular act of bravery.

Mr. Russell emphasized the importance of ensuring Roberts-Smith receives proper legal procedures and the assumption of innocence.

I’ve truly had enough of all this unfolding in the media, and I’m deeply disappointed that it has been permitted to continue for so long.

Mr. Russell cautioned that not doing so could jeopardize trust in the judicial system and affect results before evidence is examined in court.

“The situation surrounding this arrest—where media was present along with the police as he arrived at the airport with his daughters—is highly troubling,” he stated.

It brings up important concerns regarding whether the integrity of the procedure and the assumption of innocence have already been undermined.

This is not the way justice ought to be handled, Australia.

Mr. Russell’s remarks aligned with those of an individual connected to Roberts-Smith, who claimed that officials aimed to ’cause the greatest possible suffering’ during his arrest.

“He has never avoided his critics, nor tried to escape examination or put himself outside the jurisdiction of Australian authorities,” they said to the Daily Mail.

The source mentioned that Roberts-Smith’s legal representatives had consistently informed the AFP and OSI that he would appear “at a time and place of their choice if any charges were filed.”

‘However, he was taken into custody when he arrived in Sydney during a brief trip with his children,’ the source stated.

By doing this, officials decided to cause the greatest possible suffering in front of his two young daughters.

Roberts-Smith spent the night at Silverwater prison in Sydney following his sudden arrest yesterday.

He was absent from a short, virtual NSW Bail Division Court session on Wednesday, during which his case was initially addressed and his legal representatives did not promptly request his release.

They attempted to schedule the issue for an in-person hearing at the city-centre Downing Centre Local Court later that day but acknowledged it might not be feasible.

“We realize that’s somewhat of an unrealistic hope,” said his lawyer Jordan Portokalli to the bail court.

The judge concurred and rescheduled the case for June 4, indicating that the holder of the Victoria Cross will stay in detention for a minimum of two months.

A federal court judge had previously determined that Roberts-Smith was accountable for several deaths, but those conclusions were based on the balance of probabilities, not the criminal standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Roberts-Smith will become the second Australian serviceman to face war crime charges under national law, following a previous case involving former SAS soldier Oliver Schulz, who was charged in 2023 for his alleged role in the 2012 killing of a young man in Afghanistan.

Schulz has continued to assert his innocence, and his case is still pending trial.

Nine has been reached for a response.

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