Part three: the affair

Ben Roberts-Smith v the media

An affair between Ben Roberts-Smith and a witness known to the court as Person 17 is one of the key contested elements of this extraordinary defamation trial. The newspapers as part of their defence allege that Roberts-Smith committed an act of domestic violence against Person 17. He denies this allegation, saying it is a complete fabrication. In this episode, host Ben Doherty takes us through both sides, detailing the breakdown of Roberts-Smith’s marriage to Emma Roberts and his affair with Person 17. We hear testimony from Roberts-Smith himself, as well as from Person 17 and Emma Roberts – who appear for the newspapers – read by voice actors