Ben Roberts-Smith, the former SAS soldier and Victoria Cross recipient, has spent his first week in custody at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) in Sydney's Silverwater Correctional Centre. The 47-year-old was arrested on April 7 and is charged with five counts of war crime murder allegedly committed in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.
Upon arrival, Roberts-Smith was greeted by prison governor Pat Aboud, a former soldier who has worked in corrective services for almost 40 years. Aboud accompanied him through the reception process and made it clear he would receive no special treatment. A prison source described Roberts-Smith as 'cool, calm and collected' during the process and said he spent his first week in a cell alone.
Roberts-Smith is housed in the Darcy pods, an older section of the jail, and is designated a protection inmate. However, he can mix with other prisoners in communal areas. The source noted that many inmates and staff are former service personnel, which could afford him respect, but also acknowledged potential tensions with Muslim inmates.
Retired jail governor John Heffernan suggested that ex-service personnel among the staff might show mutual respect, possibly even saluting. Despite his imposing 202cm frame, no inmates have attempted to confront him. 'He's such a big dude I think people would be giving him a wide berth,' the source added.
Roberts-Smith's arrest followed a five-year joint investigation by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator. He had reportedly offered to present himself to police but was instead apprehended at Sydney Airport in front of his twin daughters and partner. The charges stem from incidents during his SAS service, and he previously lost a defamation case against Nine newspapers over similar allegations.
