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Ben Roberts-Smith’s ex-wife claims she was pressured to lie about his affair

The former wife of Ben Roberts-Smith has broken her silence on her marriage to Australia’s most decorated soldier, claiming she was pressured by him to lie about his affair.

Emma Roberts today took the stand to testify for Nine newspapers in the defamation trial brought by her former husband.

She detailed suspicions of Mr Roberts-Smith’s affair and spoke about the day his girlfriend turned up to the family home with a black eye in April 2018.

Ben Roberts-Smith entering the Supreme Court in Sydney earlier this month. (Nick Moir)
“I asked her what happened to your face… she said, ‘I fell down drunk… a set of stairs at Parliament House,'” Ms Roberts told the court.The woman, whose identity is protected, has since alleged she was assaulted by the Victoria Cross winner in a Canberra hotel.

 “I asked her whether she had come for money or if she was going to the press… she said: ‘I am not a prostitute,'” Ms Roberts said.

“She told me she had fallen pregnant during their relationship… I said: ‘Did you lose it or did you have an abortion?’ and she didn’t answer me.” Ms

Roberts claims she confronted her husband and was told “the only way we’d survive was to suggest we were separated”.“He pointed to our children and said, ‘If you don’t lie you will lose them,'” she alleged in court.

 When news of the cheating broke, the couple posed for a front-page story. Ms Roberts says she was encouraged by a Channel 7 publicist to look sad.

Ms Roberts broke down in tears under cross-examination, struggling to answer questions about the articles alleging her husband was a war criminal.

 She told the court people broke off friendships and she was even asked by one of her daughters why her dad didn’t smile anymore.The mother of two has denied accusations she is fabricating evidence because she hates Mr Roberts-Smith.

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