Once a hero to politicians and civilians alike, a court found the 44-year-old's reputation is now so lowered that two unproven allegations of battlefield murder weren't enough to defame him.
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith lost a high-profile defamation case, with the judge finding that the former SAS soldier committed war crimes.
Australia s most decorated living soldier has waited more than five years to learn whether he would ultimately be remembered as a battlefield hero or a woman-bashing war criminal.
Heston Russell said it was disgusting the allegations against the decorated war veteran were heard in a defamation court on the balance of probabilities and not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Journalist Nick McKenzie said Thursday was a day of justice after a Federal Court judge found Mr Roberts-Smith was involved in killing unarmed prisoners while serving in Afghanistan.