Woman accused of Lidia Thorpe assault says she’s received threats since police charge

The woman accused of assaulting Lidia Thorpe at the MCG after the Dreamtime game says she has received a flood of threats since being charged by police.

Ebony Bell is accused of assaulting Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG in May. Picture: Facebook

The woman accused of attacking firebrand Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG says she’s received a barrage of threats from the public.

Preston woman Ebony Bell, 28, appeared via video link in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with multiple counts of unlawful assault and recklessly causing injury.

Police allege the Koori woman – who uses an online alias – assaulted Ms Thorpe after the Dreamtime AFL game between Essendon and Richmond in May this year.

Ms Bell and Senator Thorpe are alleged to be known to each other. Picture: Facebook

It’s alleged the pair were known to each other prior to the alleged assault.

Ms Bell’s barrister Manny Nicolosi told the court his client was appearing remotely because of threats she had received since being charged by police.

He convinced magistrate Belinda Franjic to allow the woman to avoid attending court in person at her next appearance on November 22 and instead reappear via video link.

“This case has sensitivities,” Mr Nicolosi said.

The court heard an offer to resolve the matter had been made on Friday and was still under consideration.

Mr Nicolosi said there were “real deficiencies” in the case and cast doubt over whether the assault publicly referred to by Ms Thorpe was the same his client was charged over.

“The alleged victim of the assault did not nominate when or where (it happened). She made only a bleak reference to the alleged assault,” Mr Nicolosi said.

Last week Ms Thorpe went public with an assault so severe she said she suffered spinal injuries which meant she could not attend parliamentary sitting days.

She has reportedly attended 28 of 44 sitting days and voted in 222 of 493 divisions so far this year.

Ms Thorpe said the injuries sustained in the assault prevented for attending parliamentary sitting days. Picture: Martin Ollman

Last year the Senator was present for 38 of 66 sitting days (58 per cent) and voted in 206 of 558 divisions (37 per cent).

“Earlier this year I was assaulted at the MCG. I sustained serious nerve and spinal injuries in my neck, which required spinal surgery and a plate to be inserted in the back of my neck,” she said in a statement to the Herald Sun.

“There’s a scar on the front of my neck from this. I was ordered by the doctor not to travel and could not attend parliament. My doctor told me to take time off work. There is currently a police investigation under way.

“It’s unfortunate that I have been pushed to disclose this to defend myself, when I would have preferred to keep this private, but that’s just another day in the ­colony for you.”

Ms Bell uses an online alias but social media records show she is a Richmond supporter.

She identifies as a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara woman

When contacted by the Herald Sun she declined to comment.

She was charged by detectives from the Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit.

“Investigators allege that a woman assaulted another woman outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground after an AFL match about 10.30pm,” the spokeswoman said.

“The incident was reported at Melbourne East Police Station on 26 May.

“The woman sustained minor injuries during the incident.”