Cancer con Belle Gibson avoids questions about web of lies

UPDATE: CANCER con Belle Gibson called police to her home this morning to request an escort to her car in an attempt to avoid more questions from waiting media.

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CANCER con Belle Gibson called police to her home this morning to request an escort to her car in an attempt to avoid more questions from waiting media.

It comes a day after she cheekily blew a kiss and sped off in her car after she was tracked down by the Herald Sun.

Two police officers attended The Whole Pantry founder’s home in Northcote “following complaints that a group of media were causing a disturbance”.

When police arrived, just one cameraman and a reporter for Channel 7 were parked in the street.

They had not entered Ms Gibson’s property.

“Police attended the scene and no offences were detected,” a police spokeswoman said.

“There will be no further investigation.”

At Ms Gibson’s request, police escorted her to her car where she said: “Have a nice day, guys” to the TV camera crew before leaving.

Ms Gibson, who built her successful health and wellness empire on false claims she beat a terminal brain tumour with natural remedies, has been in hiding, even failing to appear in court, since Consumer Affairs Victoria launched legal action against her last month.

To evade the ongoing media spotlight, which has followed her since she was last year forced to admit her miraculous cancer survival story was untrue, Ms Gibson moved out of the million-dollar three-bedroom, two-bathroom, split-level beachside home she rented in Elwood in December.

Belle Gibson outside her Northcote home. Picture: Ian Currie

Belle Gibson outside her Northcote home. Picture: Ian Currie

Belle Gibson outside her Northcote home. Picture: Ian Currie

Gibson is trying to keep a low profile. Picture: Ian Currie

But the Herald Sun tracked her down on Tuesday in Northcote, where the disgraced social media entrepreneur is trying to keep a low profile in a downsized, humble, two-bedroom, one-bathroom Victorian-era home.

Wearing black pants with a casual dark hoodie and blue Nike sneakers, her once blonde hair now dark, Ms Gibson, 24, remained tight-lipped when approached for comment as she got into her car.

In a blatant disregard for the seriousness of the allegations against her, Ms Gibson even blew a kiss when asked through the driver’s window if she had anything to say about her deceitful actions.

She then smirked and sped away, with a screech of her SUV tyres.

Defending her call to police Ms Gibson said media had been “quite aggressive” in the past while she was with her son, Oliver, 5.

“Channel Seven have previously been quite aggressive when we have been putting Oli in the car, or otherwise in public and simply didn’t want a repeat of past experiences.

“The only thing they — Channel Seven and other media — are achieving is the intimidation of a five-year-old old who is just trying to get to school.”

Seven News director Simon Pristel said the news crew were just doing their job.

“Seven News was doing its job and attempting to get Ms Gibson to answer the questions her victims, authorities and the courts all want answered,” Mr Pristel said.

“Unfortunately Ms Gibson believes legitimate questioning is harassment.”

On Friday, Justice Debbie Mortimer issued a court order giving Ms Gibson until July 10 to take part in civil proceedings brought against her by Consumer Affairs Victoria in the Federal Court.

The order was made after Ms Gibson was a no-show at a case management hearing — the second time she and the liquidators of her company, Inkerman Road Nominees Pty Ltd, have failed to appear in court.

It is unclear if she will defend the misconduct allegations against her as she is yet to file a defence with the court.

Justice Mortimer warned: “They are serious allegations and I want Ms Gibson to know the consequences of not contributing in this case.

“I want to give Ms Gibson one further opportunity to file a notice of address for service and a defence.”

If Ms Gibson fails to comply, she would be in contempt of court and could face prison.

Consumer Affairs Victoria alleges Ms Gibson made false and misleading claims and has engaged in unconscionable conduct by not only faking cancer, but saying she cured it through nutrition and a holistic lifestyle to market her The Whole Pantry app and cookbook.

CAV also accuses the disgraced social media entrepreneur of not passing on up to $300,000 in promised donations to charities.

The consumer watchdog is demanding an injunction preventing Ms Gibson from engaging in similar conduct.

It also wants her to apologise in an A4-size public notice in the Herald Sun and The Australian newspapers.

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