Fallen military hero Ben Roberts-Smith has been spotted in Bali less than three months after fleeing there to avoid a judge labeling him a war criminal.
Photos from the Indonesian outing show how the towering former soldier (44) was sunbathing in the Fins Beach Club with girlfriend Sarah Matulin this weekend.
At one point, Roberts-Smith, wearing only shorts and a baseball cap, gave a double thumbs up, while Mrs. Matulin, wearing a cream minidress, sat next to him.
She later stripped down to a white and yellow star bikini as the couple enjoyed a meal at the luxurious mega-location, where steak and fries cost nearly $80.
Mrs. Matulin enjoyed salad and a glass of bottled bubbly in an ice bucket on the table, along with some sparkling San Pellegrino water to keep the couple hydrated.
Ben Roberts-Smith has been spotted in Bali less than three months after fleeing there to avoid a judge labeling him a war criminal
At one point, Roberts-Smith, wearing only shorts and a baseball cap, gave a double thumbs up, while Mrs. Matulin, wearing a cream minidress, sat next to him.
She later stripped down to a white and yellow star bikini as the couple enjoyed a meal at the luxurious megavenue, where steak and fries cost nearly $80.
The tattooed Victoria Cross recipient returns to Bali after sensationally losing his multimillion-dollar libel trial of the century at the end of May.
Judge Anthony Besanko has dismissed his case against Nine Newspapers, finding the father of two war heroes complicit in the murder. murder of four Afghan men.
Judge Besanko’s job was to determine whether Nine had sufficient evidence to support the allegations it made, and to decide whether they were “materially true.”
The threshold for determining that in a civil case is ‘on the balance of probabilities’ rather than the much harsher test in a criminal case of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.
There is no automatic criminal prosecution from the Federal Court verdict, so Roberts-Smith is completely free to do what he did and sunbathe in Bali.
Australia’s most decorated war hero evaded and became May’s final court hearing sunbathing into swimmers on a poolside lounger at a $500-a-night luxury resort in Bali when the verdict was handed down.
The decision to skip the verdict dazzled even his Seven West Media billionaire boss Kerry Stokes, who had funded the eye-wateringly expensive lawsuit.
Mr Stokes is said to have been surprised to find out that Roberts-Smith was in Bali for the judge’s ruling, admitting he hadn’t had a chance to talk to him about it.
“But I will when he has had a chance to fully absorb the judgment,” he added at the time.
Roberts-Smith had been a director at the media company since 2015 as managing director of Seven Queensland, but stepped down within days of the court ruling.
The case – which lasted 110 days in four years – was the second longest and most expensive libel trial Australia has ever seen.
Experts say the final bill already stands at $30 million for Roberts-Smith’s legal team, not including the cost of a potential appeal or paying fees to Nine Newspapers.
Judge Besanko found Nine Newspapers’ main allegations against Roberts-Smith to be “substantially true” in the surprising findings in favor of the media giant.
Australia’s most decorated living soldier Ben Roberts-Smith (pictured with ex-wife Emma) was branded a murderer, bully and war criminal in the explosive federal court verdict
Billionaire Seven boss Kerry Stokes (pictured) hired Roberts-Smith as network executive and was convinced of the ex-soldier’s innocence, prompting him to fund the fight
The court ruled that Nine Newspapers had proved the “substantial or contextual truth” of all of Roberts-Smith’s defamatory allegations and all but two allegations they had made against the soldier.
The judge found Roberts-Smith “murdered or complicit in and responsible” for the murders of four Afghan men between 2009 and 2012.
The former SAS corporal was allegedly involved in the murder of two Afghan men during a mission to Whiskey 108 on April 12, 2009.
He was also found to have been involved in the murders of an Afghan man on a mission to Darwan on September 11, 2012 and of an Afghan man on a mission to Chinartu on October 12, 2012.
He was also found to be a war criminal for “violating the moral and legal rules of military engagement.”
Judge found Roberts-Smith ‘murdered or complicit in and responsible’ for the murders of four Afghan men between 2009 and 2012
It was also revealed that he assaulted three unarmed Afghan men in 2010 and 2012, assaulting one so viciously that commanders had to order him to retreat.
He was also revealed to have bullied a “short and quiet” soldier known as “Trooper M” with threats of violence.
It also turned out to be contextually true that he threatened to report one soldier to the International Criminal Court for firing at civilians unless he supported his version of a friendly fire incident.