A Melbourne court has sentenced the woman who assaulted independent Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground to a community-based order rather than imprisonment, concluding that rehabilitation could be achieved without an immediate custodial sentence despite the seriousness of the offending.

The case relates to an incident outside the MCG following the Dreamtime at the ‘G AFL match in May 2024. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Ebony Bell pursued Senator Thorpe and two companions after a verbal altercation before assaulting all three. Bell had previously pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury to the senator and unlawfully assaulting the other victims.

After considering submissions from both the prosecution and defence, Magistrate Jillian Prior imposed a 12-month community corrections order with a recorded conviction. Bell was also fined and ordered to undertake treatment addressing alcohol dependency and anger management as part of the sentence.

During the sentencing process, the court considered a range of personal circumstances presented in defence, including evidence relating to Bell’s upbringing, rehabilitation prospects and intergenerational trauma. These matters formed part of the overall assessment alongside the seriousness of the offending, rather than acting as the sole reason for the sentence imposed.

The magistrate described the assaults as serious acts of violence that had lasting consequences for the victims. Victim impact statements presented to the court outlined the continuing physical and emotional effects experienced following the attack. The court accepted that the offending had caused significant harm and emphasised that violence in the community must be denounced.

Prosecutors argued that Bell should receive a custodial sentence, particularly because she committed another assault while on bail awaiting the resolution of the Thorpe matter. The defence, however, submitted that Bell had accepted responsibility through her guilty pleas and had reasonable prospects of rehabilitation if supervised within the community.

In remarks released after the proceedings concluded, Senator Thorpe said she was relieved the matter had finally been resolved after an extended period during which reporting of the case had been restricted by a suppression order. She also stated that throughout the legal process she had consistently opposed a prison sentence for Bell and wanted the matter to come to an end.

The sentencing has prompted wider discussion about how Australian courts balance punishment, deterrence and rehabilitation. Sentencing decisions require judges and magistrates to weigh numerous statutory factors, including the gravity of the offence, the protection of the community, an offender’s personal circumstances, guilty pleas and the likelihood of rehabilitation. No single consideration automatically determines the outcome.

The criminal proceedings have now concluded, bringing an end to a case that attracted significant public attention because it involved a serving federal senator and remained subject to reporting restrictions for more than a year. With those restrictions lifted, the public can now examine both the evidence presented during the proceedings and the reasons behind the court’s sentencing decision.