Mt Gambier MP Troy Bell allegedly kept more than $400,000 from educational groups to help mortgage, court told

A MP allegedly stole more than $400,000 from educational groups for at-risk kids to offset his mortgage and on home renos, a court has heard.

A Mount Gambier MP who allegedly stole $400,000 from educational, not-for-profit groups “abused” his power as he “placated” his wife and spent the money on home renovations and to offset his mortgage, a court has heard.

On trial in the District Court after pleading not guilty to 20 counts of theft and six counts of dishonest dealings with documents, Troy Stephen Bell, 50, is accused of failing to return $436,000 that was supposed to be spent on children’s educational programs.

In her closing address, prosecutor Jemma Litster told the jury Mr Bell was motivated by greed and “an ongoing capacity to benefit financially”.

Troy Bell leaves Adelaide District Court during his trial. Picture: NewsWire / Roy VanDerVegt

Prosecutor Jemma Litster outside District Court in 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“Over $400,000 more went out than came back,” Ms Litster said. “Members of the jury, that was a conservative calculation, I suggest, in Mr Bell’s favour.

“Mr Bell’s interest in property renovations was heightened at the time when the offending appeared to commence. Part of the motive was offsetting his mortgage with moneys intended to be deployed on children’s educational programs, which was the property of the third parties.

“There’s no doubt Mr Bell was a man who was well liked by most people. It’s the prosecution case that he abused that trust and good will – that’s one of the reasons his fraud went unnoticed for so long.

“The evidence suggests that even his wife wasn’t fully aware of his offending. He was placating his wife – he wasn’t speaking openly to her.”

It’s alleged Mr Bell took funds from not-for-profit independent Learning Centre (ILC) – an organisation he set up in 2006 to encourage at-risk and disadvantaged children to further their education.

The allegations also relate to two other not-for-profit associations in conjunction with the ILC – the South East Education and Training Association (SEETA) and the Limestone Coast Education and Training Association (LCETA).

Mr Bell’s defence counsel has told the court many of the bank transactions in evidence would “be in dispute”.

The court has heard he also used the money on flights to Los Angeles for both him and his wife.

In July, an intercepted phone call was played to the jury where Mr Bell could be heard confiding in ex-Liberal leader Isobel Redmond – telling her he “had a way around” an ICAC probe.

This week, Ms Litster told the court Mr Bell knew the alleged dealings were dishonest and began to realise the profitability of his alleged offending.

“The rate of inconsistencies between what was charged on invoices, when lined up against what was actually required or spent by the third-party providers, was such that it can’t reasonably be explained by bad bookkeeping or bad luck,” she said.

“The prosecution case is that the excess of funds from what naturally accumulated from invoicing in advance was bulked up further from overcharging. That became the cream from which Mr Bell could skim.

“The accused engaged in the conduct for the purpose of benefiting himself or another.”

Mr Bell’s defence counsel will give his closing address from Monday.

Originally published as Mt Gambier MP Troy Bell allegedly kept more than $400,000 from educational groups to help mortgage, court told