The accusation of assault against independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has brought a woman before a courtroom.
Today, Ebony Bell was arraigned in Melbourne Magistrates Court on three counts of illegal assault and two counts of deliberately inflicting injury.
Her appearance was conducted by video link. Earlier in 2024, Thorpe claimed that she was the victim of an assault at a public function.
The incident occurred on May 25, after the annual Dreamtime at the ‘G game between Essendon and Richmond, and outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The victim was a lady, according to the police. Police received the assault report the following day, and on July 25, they arrested 27-year-old Bell.
While acknowledging that the prosecution had made a “offer” on Friday, Bell’s attorney Emanuele Nicolosi stated that the case had some “real deficiencies.”
“I haven’t had the opportunity to thoroughly contemplate it,” he informed the judge.
Nicolosi introduced his client as a Koori woman and explained that “recent threats” were the reason she was unable to make an in-person appearance.
He fought to have Thorpe’s name withheld from publication as a complainant, but Magistrate Belinda Franjic agreed with the media since the outspoken senator had previously come forward.
Prior to the case’s November 22nd return to court, Bell will be released on bond.
At first, the police said Thorpe’s injuries were “minor,” but now she claims she has severe spinal cord and nerve damage in her neck.
In a statement, the senator from Victoria explained that her injuries necessitated spinal surgery, which left her with a scar on the front of her neck and the need to have a plate implanted.
“I was ordered by the doctor not to travel and could not attend parliament after I sustained the injury and during recovery from surgery,” according to her.
“My doctor told me to take time off work.”
By claiming that she did not treat her role as an independent senator lightly, Thorpe justified her absence from 51 of the 138 Senate session days during this legislative term.
“When I haven’t been present in parliament, I have still been engaged with and following the legislative agenda, and ensuring that my voting positions are reflected in the vote outcome through pairing arrangements,” according to her.
During a reception in Canberra’s Parliament House, Thorpe made headlines across the world by publicly criticizing King Charles.
The Indigenous senator stated that she pledged an oath of loyalty to the late Queen’s “hairs” rather than her heirs when she took her position in 2022 and refused coalition requests for her resignation from the upper house.
