One of the witnesses in Ben Roberts-Smith’s war crimes defamation trial has been arrested and charged over the alleged assault of a police officer.
The former soldier, whose identity has been suppressed, faces two charges: obstruct, hinder, intimidate, or resist a commonwealth official; and cause harm to a commonwealth judicial or law officer.
He gave evidence, called by Roberts-Smith, as part of Roberts-Smith’s defamation case against three newspapers he alleges defamed him in a series of articles that accused him of committing war crimes, including murder.
The newspapers are pleading a defence of truth. Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, denies any wrongdoing.
The charged former soldier, given the pseudonym Person X in Sydney local court on Wednesday, appeared via video link from custody, wearing handcuffs, a blue suit and white shirt.
He was granted bail subject to conditions, on a $10,000 surety, by magistrate Alison Viney.
The Guardian understands the charges relate to the alleged assault of a police officer, after the AFP attended Person X’s hotel room on Tuesday night to execute a search warrant.
