Ben Roberts-Smith a mentor to Zachary Rolfe, the NT police officer cleared of murder

Roberts-Smith is suing the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Canberra Times for defamation over a series of ­reports he alleges portray him as committing war crimes, including murder. The newspapers are pleading a defence of truth. Roberts-Smith denies all wrongdoing.

Debbie Rolfe writes in the statement that she first met Roberts-Smith in about March 2011 when she was in a Canberra store with Zach and her husband, Richard.

She described Roberts-Smith as a mentor to her son.

She said after reading the first report she sent a text message to Emma Roberts.

In her statement, Debbie Rolfe said that having known Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient, for a number of years, she considered him to be a great friend who was honest and trustworthy.

The defamation trial, before Justice Anthony Besanko, continues.