A former SAS soldier who says he watched Ben Roberts-Smith perform an "exhibition execution" has described his heartbreak over the effect alleged war crimes had on another comrade's life.
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The witness codenamed Person 24 previously said he watched the war veteran open fire on an Afghan prisoner's back after throwing him to the ground during an April 2009 mission to a compound dubbed Whiskey 108 in Uruzgan province.
"It was an exhibition execution, he wanted people to see he was going to kill someone out there in front of everyone," he told the Federal Court on Tuesday.
The Victoria Cross recipient has strenuously denied the allegation, and previously testified that he only killed insurgents within the rules of engagement.
The 43-year-old is suing The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Canberra Times for defamation over reports that he committed war crimes and murders in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012.
On Tuesday Person 24 became emotional as he gave evidence about heavily encouraging a good soldier dubbed Person Four to join the special forces.
"He is a great person and to see how his life has been turned upside down by the time that he spent in the regiment and the people he spent it with, I find it heartbreaking," he said.
Person Four as a young trooper was allegedly ordered to execute a prisoner by his patrol commander known as Person Five who was out to "blood the rookie" in order for him to "get a kill under his name".
Mr Roberts-Smith who was second in charge of the troop at the time did nothing to dissuade the execution command, or stop Person Four from following the order, and is complicit in and "responsible for murder," according to the defence file.
Another soldier in February further alleged Mr Roberts-Smith had forced the unarmed, older Afghan male to kneel before ordering Person Four to "shoot him".
Person 24 who was medically discharged from the Australian army in 2017 said Person Four had struggled giving evidence at the defamation trial.
He said Mr Robert-Smith's barrister, Arthur Moses SC, was suggesting both soldiers who took medication for mental health issues were "not fit to be a witness".
Person 24 broke down again explaining that he did not wish to be in court, and denied he was lying in evidence.
"I find it extremely difficult to stomach having to give evidence against that man in the corner," he said, referring to Mr Roberts-Smith.
He said on Monday he believed the war veteran had been treated unfairly.
The former SAS corporal also alleged that at Australia's base in Tarin Kowt before the Whiskey 108 mission commenced, Person Five boasted that "we're going to blood the rookie".
At the time Person 24 understood "blooding" as lawful engagement, but with hindsight, he now understood Person Five had "malicious intent" and it was a premeditated act.
Following the Whiskey 108 mission a soldier retrieved a prosthetic leg from the dead man Mr Roberts-Smith is accused of murdering, and it became a drinking vessel at a SAS makeshift bar called the Fat Lady's Arms.
Person 24 drank from the fake leg known as Das Boot many times because at the time he thought it was "hilarious".
The trial continues.
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