Overview

• The Full Court of the Federal Court dismissed Ben Roberts-Smith's appeal, affirming the 2023 ruling that he committed four unlawful killings during his deployment in Afghanistan.
• The court also rejected Roberts-Smith's bid to reopen the appeal based on a secret recording alleging journalistic misconduct by Nick McKenzie.
• The findings were made on the civil standard of the balance of probabilities, which is lower than the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.
• This decision potentially opens the door for criminal investigations by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator.
• The legal proceedings, spanning seven years and costing over $25 million, could now move to the High Court if Roberts-Smith chooses to pursue further appeal.