Who shot the dog? The canine killing that could play a crucial role in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial

Amid allegations of war crimes, of murder, and of domestic violence, the seemingly inconsequential but bizarre death of a dog has dominated days of evidence in the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation trial.

They have denied any complicity or collaboration.

The newspapers are pleading a defence of truth. Roberts-Smith denies all wrongdoing.

The court has heard that in July 2012, Australian SAS were on a mission in Chenartu, in southern Afghanistan, with members of the Afghan police special forces unit, known as the Wakunish. On patrol, a Wakunish member opened fire on a stray dog, killing it. Shrapnel from the shooting ricocheted, hitting and injuring an Australian SAS soldier.

In his outline of evidence, Roberts-Smith told the court he had understood it was Person 12 who had shot the dog and that he was then removed from going on patrols with Australian soldiers.

Roberts-Smith said the allegation cannot be true, because Person 12 was not on the mission, having been removed over the dog incident.

From behind the false wall fell a cache of weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades.

Person 12 allegedly instructed one of his subordinates to shoot the prisoner, who fired four to six shots into him, killing him. Other Australian soldiers have given evidence before the trial that they witnessed Roberts-Smith order the execution.

Roberts-Smith has consistently denied the allegation he ordered the execution.

He told the court there were no prisoners in the final compound at Khaz Uruzgan, and that Person 12 was not on the mission.

Roberts-Smith has called three soldier witnesses in this trial, two of whom have submitted outlines of evidence that state Person 12 shot the dog.

Nick Owens SC, acting for the newspapers, put it to him he had colluded with other soldier witnesses.

Person 27 said he was unsure that Person 12 had been responsible for shooting the dog, and rang the soldier who was injured by the shrapnel that day. Person 27 was told it was not Person 12, but another Afghan national, however he did not change his outline of evidence, despite knowing it was wrong.

Roberts-Smith himself had initially claimed he knew it was Person 12 who shot the dog.

The case, before Justice Anthony Besanko, continues.