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Search resuls for: "Kerry Stokes"


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By Lewis JacksonSYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian court on Monday began hearing the appeal of a decorated war hero, who is fighting a court defamation ruling that found media groups had proven their reports he played a part in the unlawful killings of four Afghans in Afghanistan. He called the reports false and based on claims of failed soldiers who were jealous of his accolades, and sought unspecified damages. The civil court defamation finding required a lower threshold of proof than a criminal court would. Roberts-Smith, 45, whose portrait hangs in the Australian War Memorial, has not been charged with any crimes. The lengthy legal battle has racked up huge costs for Roberts-Smith and his financial backer, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes.
Persons: Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Ben Roberts, Smith, Roberts, Kerry Stokes, Stokes, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal, Michael Perry Organizations: Former SAS, Victoria Cross, Nine Entertainment, Australian, Roberts, Seven West Media, Sydney Morning Herald Locations: Afghanistan
The accusations are at the heart of Australia's costliest and second longest-running defamation lawsuit for which a judgement is scheduled on Thursday. Legal experts say that while the civil hearing focused on reputational damage brought by a series of 2018 articles, it effectively played out as the country's first war crimes trial. No soldiers were named in the redacted report but about two dozen current and former Australian soldiers were referred for potential criminal prosecution. Roberts-Smith, one of just 101 soldiers to receive the Victoria Cross, sued the newspapers in 2020, saying they falsely accused him of being complicit in war crimes. He seeks compensatory damages, aggravated damages and damages for future economic loss, although his lawyers did not give a total amount sought.
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