A woman accused of assaulting Indigenous Senator Lidia Thorpe at the MCG in May this year is a proud Yorta Yorta woman and Richmond Tigers AFL fan.
Ebony Bell, 27, allegedly assaulted the senator after the AFL Dreamtime match between Essendon and Richmond at the MCG on May 25.
On Monday, she appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link from her home, where the court heard she had been charged with attacks on several people.
His lawyer, Emanuele Nicolosi, told the court his client was in the process of negotiating with prosecutors over the alleged assault on Senator Thorpe.
Nicolosi had tried to withhold the senator’s name from charge sheets released to the media, arguing that it was unclear when or where his client had allegedly attacked Thorpe.
“That particular complainant alleges that she was the victim of an assault, but has not necessarily indicated when or where,” he said.
Ebony Bell, 27, allegedly assaulted Lidia Thorpe at AFL match
Nicolosi further claimed that his client had been the target of threats since the allegations became public.
‘My client is a Koori woman. The reason it appears remotely is because there have been some threats recently,” he said.
In a statement issued by Victoria Police last week, it was revealed that Bell was charged with two counts of reckless causing injury and three counts of unlawful assault.
“Detectives from the Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit have charged a woman following an alleged assault in East Melbourne on May 25,” a police spokeswoman said at the time.
‘Investigators allege a woman assaulted another woman outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground after an AFL match at around 10.30pm.
‘The incident was reported to Melbourne East police station on May 26.
‘The woman suffered minor injuries during the incident.
‘Police arrested a 27-year-old Preston woman in Preston on July 25.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on November 22, where the outcome of those negotiations will likely be clarified.
On Monday, Ebony Jane Bell appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link from her home.
Senator Lidia Thorpe claimed she was brutally assaulted at the MCG earlier this year, resulting in a significant spinal injury. Victoria Police said a 27-year-old woman has been charged with assault.
Bell’s bail has been extended until that date when he will appear again via video link.
Senator Thorpe revealed details of the alleged assault on Friday after The Australian He asked why he had missed a third of the days of parliamentary sessions due to his absences.
“Earlier this year I was assaulted at the MCG,” Thorpe told the publication.
‘I suffered serious injuries to the nerves and spine in my neck, requiring spinal surgery and the insertion of a plate into the back of my neck.
‘There is a scar on the front of my neck because of this. The doctor ordered me not to travel and I was unable to attend parliament. My doctor told me to take time off work. There is currently a police investigation underway.
“It’s a shame they forced me to reveal this to defend myself, when I would have preferred to keep it private, but for you it’s just another day in the colony.”
His absenteeism in Parliament was even worse last year, when he attended only 38 of the 66 session days.
He explained that this was because the Australian Federal Police had advised him to stay home due to “serious far-right threats”.
“Delays to parliament and the AFP’s security review and plan meant I was unable to travel safely to parliament for several months,” the senator said.