A woman who once claimed Ben Roberts-Smith punched her in the face went to his wife after the alleged attack to say they had been having an affair.
The Federal Court in Sydney heard on Monday that the woman, known as Person 17, had not made any allegation of assault against Mr Roberts-Smith until after he ended their relationship.
Mr Roberts-Smith, a former Special Air Service trooper awarded the Victoria Cross, is suing The Sydney Morning Herald over a story claiming he punched the woman, when he contends she drunkenly fell down the stairs.
The decorated soldier is also suing the newspaper, along with The Age and the Canberra Times, over allegations he committed war crimes while on deployment in Afghanistan, which he vehemently denies.
Nick McKenzie tracks down Australia’s most wanted criminal fugitive and Piers Morgan responds after being targeted by the cancel culture movement for criticising Meghan Markle.
It has been described as the biggest defamation action in Australia’s history. But the consequences are far more wide reaching and profound than defamation.