Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith has slammed Nine Entertainment Co for “baseless” allegations

Victoria Cross recipient has slammed Nine Entertainment for its coverage of his alleged involvement in war crimes and said the claims are ‘baseless’.

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. Picture: AAP

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith said allegations by Nine that he committed war crimes were “baseless” and his ­employer was standing by him.

The 42-year-old is Seven’s general manager in Queensland and will stay in the position ­despite a report aired on 60 Minutes on Sunday night and published in Nine newspapers of his involvement in alleged war crimes.

The stories included damning evidence hidden on USB sticks inside a child’s lunch box and buried in the backyard of Roberts-Smith’s Sunshine Coast hinterland home away from police and military investigations.

But Seven said it remained supportive of its boss.

“Most of the material aired is old, Seven notes that it is before the Federal Court and the court process should be respected,” the statement issued by Seven said.

“Insofar as new allegations are made they do not appear to be supported by evidence.”

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing Nine newspapers in relation to a series of 2018 stories alleging he committed war crimes during his time in Afghanistan.

The special forces soldier said he had “grave concerns” about the 60 minutes broadcast and subsequent newspaper stories.

“Mr Roberts-Smith denies that he has engaged in any unlawful conduct and he will not be intimidated by Mr McKenzie or Nine into not continuing with the Federal Court proceedings against him,” Mr Roberts-Smith said in a statement.

He also said the allegations that aired were not put to him ­before airing or being printed.

Mr Roberts-Smith also went on to criticise the journalistic ­integrity of Nine reporter Nick McKenzie.

“Had Mr McKenzie or Nine wished to engage in impartial or objective journalism, they would have sought Mr Robert-Smith’s comments on the so-called “shameful” allegations which Mr McKenzie asserted had been the subject of a ‘major and deep ­investigation’.”

The program aired images it said were from the USB drives that included desecrating a corpse, bad behaviour of soldiers at a bar in ­Afghanistan and a soldier dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes.