Southern Highlands and Sydney anaesthetist David Bell sentenced over domestic violence charges

A prominent doctor held a Japanese cooking knife at his wife’s throat telling her “I am going to f**king kill you” in a string of domestic violence offences. Read what the magistrate had to say.

A doctor has avoided time behind bars for a string of domestic abuse against his partner over more than two years during which he told her “I may as well beat the f**k out of you”.

David Bell, 41, pleaded guilty to 17 offences including five counts of common assault, five counts of stalk or intimidate intending to cause fear of physical harm, six counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and armed with intent.

Last week, his legal team made an application to have the charges dismissed and divert Bell into mental health treatment but it was dismissed by Magistrate Mark Douglass.

Court documents state Bell is an anaesthetist who has been employed at Bowral and Campbelltown Hospitals and is on a six-figure salary, and detail the offences that occurred over two years starting in 2019 after Bell had been in a relationship with the victim for a few years.

The abuse outlined in the police facts started on June 3 of that year when Bell got angry with the victim as he believed the house was untidy and his dinner was not cooked. He began to yell at the victim, slam doors and cupboards and kick things, frightening his partner.

Southern Highlands and Sydney anaesthetist David Bell pleads guilty to more than 15 domestic violence charges at Picton Local Court on July 20, 2022. Picture: Annie Lewis

The behaviour escalated more on July 17, 2021 when Bell kicked his partner in the legs while she was seated on the ground. He then grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a wall.

Court documents show that later that same night, Bell threatened his partner with a Japanese cooking knife, telling her “I am going to f**king kill you”.

On August 26, Bell read messages on the victim’s smart watch and told her she better have a good lawyer as he would cut her off financially.

She said “don’t hurt me” and he said: “Why? Doesn’t matter now, doesn’t matter now because you have already told them that I am a violent prick and that I’d lie about it so I may as well beat the f**k out of you, so I’d at least have the f**king satisfaction”.

Then on September 26, Bell got upset that the victim was smoking according to court documents and when she followed him into the bathroom to continue the conversation, he placed his hand around one side of her throat and pushed her against the wall.

David Bell. Picture: Annie Lewis

He then pushed her face and neck into the bed and later threw an empty suitcase at the victim before leaving. The victim reported the matter to police after Bell had left their home in Mittagong.

On Wednesday at Picton Local Court, Magistrate Douglass handed down his sentence and said the harm done to the victim must be recognised.

“The victims of domestic violence are targeted and far too often, in my view, as in the case here, perpetrators do what they believe is justified or can be excused as in some regards they believe that they are the victim,” he said.

“A victim of a messy house. A victim of an uncooked dinner. A victim of having a partner who has smoked cigarettes.

“Domestic violence in all its forms is unacceptable behaviour.”

Magistrate Douglass acknowledged that Bell had no criminal history, the work he has done for the community as a doctor and that he pleaded guilty at an early stage. He also said he would take Bell’s mental health conditions into account.

David Bell. Picture: Annie Lewis

“It’s obvious his employment and the pressures generated from the responsibility in some regards played a role … that is no excuse,” he said.

“If one offence occurred, in my view, that should have been enough for this well educated man to seek appropriate help.

“He didn’t … he continued for a significant period of time.”

Magistrate Douglass said for three of the offences, including one where Bell held a cooking knife the victim’s throat, imprisonment was the only option.

But, he said, it would be appropriate for Bell to serve his imprisonment in the community through an intensive corrections order for 15 months.

He also sentenced Bell to a three-year community corrections order with the direction to complete domestic violence and anger management programs.

“This is not to be seen as a non-custodial sentence,” Magistrate Douglass said. “It will be tough. He must be of good behaviour.”

Bell is not currently employed at Bowral or Campbelltown Hospitals.