‘You need to stop’: Letter sent to Ben Roberts-Smith revealed
A letter sent to war hero Ben Roberts-Smith about his secret affair has been released, sent by a person who warns “you need to stop”.
A letter sent to war hero Ben Roberts-Smith about his secret affair has been released for the first time.
The letter asks Mr Roberts-Smith why he is “risking everything”, tells him “you need to stop” and warns “it’s not too late ..... yet”.
The letter was sent to Mr Roberts-Smith in 2017 after he stayed with a woman, known as Person 17, in Sydney’s Hyatt Regency Hotel for three nights, warns him “people saw you there” and that the visit was “on your credit card and phone records”.
It also tells him to “reignite” his love and marriage with then wife Emma and questions why he is “risking everything” by having an affair.
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The letter reads: “Dear Ben, I can imagine what you were doing with another lady (other than Emma) at Suite 991 Hyatt Regency in Sydney for 3 nights from Sunday 19 November to Wednesday 22 November.
“People saw you there. It’s on your credit card and phone records.
“Why are you risking everything that you have built in your life – your wife/marriage, your daughters/family, your career, our reputation?
“You need to stop and maintain your high standards and reignite your love/marriage with Emma. It’s not too late … yet.
“Try more marriage counselling. Save your marriage and your family please.”
The letter is signed “A friend at 7.”
The Federal Court of Australia released the letter late on Friday as the Roberts-Smith defamation trial is on hiatus during the Covid-19 lockdown
The trial heard earlier this month that the letter may have been sent by his mistress, the woman known as Person 17.
Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine newspapers and three journalists for articles published in three newspapers from the second half of 2018.
He says the reports falsely claim he committed six war crime murders in five missions in Afghanistan, that he bullied other soldiers and that he assaulted Person 17 with whom he was having an affair.
Other exhibits released on Friday were aerial shots of Afghanistan where one of the alleged war crimes incidents is said to have taken place.
Also released were text messages between Person 17 and Mr Roberts-Smith the day after the alleged assault took place in March 2018.
Mr Roberts-Smith vehemently denies the assault and says that Person 17 fell down stairs after a reception at Parliament House in Canberra.
In the text messages, Person 17 wrote: “ feel awful. I made a doctor’s appointment for this afternoon after speaking to (her husband) and sent him a photo.”
Mr Roberts-Smith replied: “Does he think I did it?”
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Person 17: “Yeah, he did to begin with and he didn’t believe I had fallen down stairs. I just told him what we talked about.”
She had also said: “I’ve got some other bruises including a massive one on my thigh on the same side of my body which will hopefully make the falling story more believable.”
Mr Roberts-Smith allegedly replied: “OK well hopefully he believes you.”
The war veteran’s trial has been adjourned until July 19 for mention, with the possibility of resuming hearings a week later, on July 26.
His trial, which ran for just over three weeks before the covid lockdown, is expected to last up to three months.
Up to 60 witnesses are expected to testify, including 21 SAS soldiers and Mr Roberts-Smith’s former wife Emma, who is due to testify against him.