Australia’s most decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has not applied for bail and will remain in custody after being charged with war crimes.
The former SAS soldier and Victoria Cross-recipient was expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday after being charged with five counts of war crime – murder in relation to alleged offences in Afghanistan between April 2009 and October 2012.
But Roberts-Smith, who spent Tuesday night in custody at Sydney’s Silverwater correctional centre after his arrest at Sydney airport in the morning, did not appear in the New South Wales local court on Wednesday.
His legal representative, Jordan Portokalli, told the court that no application for bail would be made on Wednesday, asking for the matter to be listed for mention at the Downing Centre local court in Sydney.
He asked for the judge, Lucas Swan, to consider listing the matter on Wednesday but acknowledged this might be a “pipe dream”.
Swan ordered that the matter be listed before Downing Centre on 4 June.
Roberts-Smith has always denied any wrongdoing.
More details soon …