Ebony Bell has been handed a $300 fine and a 12-month community corrections order after assaulting independent Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in May 2024. The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury to Thorpe and unlawfully assaulting two others following the annual Dreamtime at the 'G match.
Details of the Assault Revealed
According to CCTV footage played in Melbourne Magistrates Court, Bell punched Thorpe twice to the head and then to the jaw after a verbal altercation near gate 1 at about 10pm. Thorpe and her friends had attempted to walk away, but Bell pursued them. Bell also punched a male friend of Thorpe in the face and pulled a woman's hair as she tried to restrain Bell on the ground.
Photos of Thorpe's injuries, including a bruised lip and neck, were submitted to the court along with victim impact statements. Thorpe described suffering deep and "long-lasting" impacts from the assault, with her trauma compounded by a lack of understanding of why it occurred. Magistrate Jillian Prior noted Thorpe's statement described "the layering of this trauma upon her own experiences of harm, in what she describes in her role as a First Nations woman in the Senate."
Second Assault While on Bail
Bell committed a second "gratuitous act of violence" while on bail for the Thorpe assault. In August 2025, six days after facing court for the Thorpe attack, Bell assaulted a security guard at the Whalers Hotel in Warrnambool. CCTV showed Bell hitting a bouncer in the head with her phone three times after being refused entry, then dragging him to the ground and kicking him in the head.
Prosecutor Bianca Moleta argued for a community work order with conviction for the Thorpe assault, describing Bell as the aggressor who continued to pursue the group. For the second incident, Moleta sought jail time, calling Bell "a woman on a mission" who targeted her victims. Bell's barrister, Carmendy Cooper, said Bell accepted responsibility and alleged Thorpe had made distressing comments about Bell's mother, which upset the accused. Cooper also claimed the pub refusal was "motivated by racism."
Court Outcome
On Friday, Bell was convicted and handed a 12-month community corrections order with a $300 fine for both incidents. She was ordered to undergo treatment for alcohol addiction and anger management. Bell had initially been ordered to complete an anger management course after the Thorpe assault, but the second incident led to additional charges.
Thorpe said in a statement: "I am thankful this matter has now been finalised. This has been a difficult experience, made harder by public speculation and imputations that did not reflect the facts ultimately established by the court." She added that she had consistently advocated against a prison sentence for Bell and reiterated that she had never met Bell before the incident.
