Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell receives date for appeal hearing after guilty verdict in theft trial

Thieving Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell won’t know the fate of his appeal for at least another four months after he was found guilty of stealing $400,000 from at-risk youths.

 

A disgraced MP convicted of stealing more than $400,000 from at-risk kids will not know the fate of his appeal for at least another four months – with a new hearing set for earlier next year.

Mount Gambier MP Troy Stephen Bell was excused from appearing in the Adelaide Court of Appeal on Friday in front of President Mark Livesey – as his counsel made their application to have the matter heard in March.

However, prosecutor William Scobie told President Livesey he was opposed to the March date and, instead, applied for a date in February because “the earlier this can be resolved, the better”.

“I understand my learned friend had some submissions about why his preference was for the March date,” Mr Scobie said.

“I can’t speak strongly against those – I don’t intend to impugn the submission – I simply rely on the fact the director’s attitude is still that it’s ideal this be resolved at its earliest date possible.”

The defence counsel, who has been recently employed by Bell, told the court he was “completely new” to the case and would greatly appreciate “any amount of time”.

Troy Bell leaves the District Court. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“The hiatus between February 19 and March 13 is three weeks, so I’m not asking for a great deal,” he said.

“While three weeks might not seem like a great deal – from my point of view, any amount of time that can be provided to assist in preparation for the matter … the March date is preferable.”

Last month, the independent South-East MP said he was “confident” in the process to come after lodging an appeal over his theft and dishonesty crimes, for which a jury found him guilty late last month.

On September 27, Bell was found guilty of 20 counts of theft and five counts of dishonest dealings with documents after more than two days of deliberations. He was acquitted of one count of dishonestly dealing with documents.

Five days after his verdict had been handed down, Bell said it was “incredibly difficult for my family and myself as we come to terms with the jury’s decision”.

On Friday, President Livesey listed the matter for hearing in the Court of Appeal in March next year.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Mount Gambier MP Troy Bell receives date for appeal hearing after guilty verdict in theft trial