Woman Avoids Jail After Assaulting Senator Lidia Thorpe Outside MCG

A recent court decision has seen Ebony Jan Bell avoid imprisonment, instead receiving a 12-month community corrections order, following her assault on federal senator Lidia Thorpe outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2024.

The incident, which occurred after the Dreamtime at the G match between Essendon and Richmond, left the independent senator with significant injuries and caused her to miss crucial parliamentary sitting days.

Ms. Thorpe was with a group of friends near the stadium when the unprovoked attack by Bell, now 29, unfolded. During the scuffle, Senator Thorpe was punched and fell to the ground, sustaining multiple injuries including head and facial soreness, nerve pain in her shoulder, and numbness in her hands and fingers.

Details surrounding the case were made public this afternoon, Friday, July 3, 2026, following the lifting of a longstanding suppression order at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, paving the way for full reporting.

In a comprehensive statement released following the sentencing, Senator Thorpe expressed relief that the legal proceedings had concluded, stating her desire to "bring an end to speculation surrounding this matter."

The independent senator also clarified her consistent position on the perpetrator's punishment: "I want to put on record that throughout this process, I have consistently advocated against a prison sentence for the person involved." She further emphasized the lack of prior connection, asserting, "I also want to reiterate that I had never met this person before the incident. I had no idea who they were."

Underscoring her commitment to discretion, Senator Thorpe added, "From the beginning, I have asked for the privacy of everyone involved to be respected." While acknowledging a challenging path ahead, she concluded with a forward-looking perspective: "I will not make a full recovery from my injuries, however I want to move on from this and will not be commenting further."

The 12-month community corrections order issued to Bell encompasses both this specific assault and a separate, unrelated incident.