War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has lost his final legal attempt to overturn a significant defamation ruling. The High Court has dismissed his application for special leave to challenge a Federal Court decision that rejected his lawsuit against a media network regarding allegations of war crimes.

Roberts-Smith sought to contest the ruling that found, on the balance of probabilities, that allegations he was involved in the deaths of four detainees in Afghanistan were substantially true. In his appeal to the High Court, he argued that the laws of evidence should have been applied more rigorously. He emphasized that he has not been charged with any crime and should be presumed innocent.

Despite his arguments, the High Court declined to hear his case, effectively upholding the previous ruling. This decision marks a significant moment in Roberts-Smith's ongoing legal battles related to the allegations against him.