Former SA MP Troy Bell jailed for fraud and theft offending

Former South Australian MP Troy Bell will spend at least two-and-a-half years in jail for stealing more than $430,000 in public money meant for not-for-profit education organisations.

The 52-year-old former member for Mount Gambier was sentenced to five years' jail in the District Court today after a jury last year found him guilty of 20 counts of theft and five counts of dishonest dealing with documents.

The sentencing judge said Bell's offending was a "sustained course of conduct", lasting from 2009 to 2013.

The court previously heard he had spent the money on home renovations and credit card debts.

The judge said Bell's offending was too serious for anything other than an immediate jail term and set a two-and-a-half-year non-parole period.

After a three-month trial, a jury found the Mount Gambier MP guilty of 20 counts of theft, and five counts of dishonest dealing with documents, in September last year.

In sentencing, Judge Rauf Soulio said Bell's "theft of public monies over a sustained period is serious and significant offending".

"Your offending was committed in circumstances where a combination of authority and trust enabled you to continue that offending over such an extended period," he said

"In sentencing, I also take into account that despite the context of this offending you have nevertheless contributed significantly to the community through your work as a teacher, through your establishment and coordination of the very programs under which you committed the offending and through your effective representation of the members of the Mount Gambier electorate.

"I take into account that you've lost much because of your offending, including your seat in the parliament and your assets."

However, he said that the loss of assets was "partly self-inflicted given your approach to contesting the charges".

'Protracted legal process'

Bell sat for the majority of the 20-minute hearing, before being asked to stand when the term of imprisonment was imposed.

A supporter, police and a group of about 15 high school students were also present in court with their teacher for the hearing, which was also beamed live into the Mount Gambier courthouse.

In his remarks, Judge Soulio said that while there was "some evidence" at trial as to the use of funds Bell obtained, including for property investments in Mount Gambier, there was "no evidence" about his motivation for offending.

He said the total money involved was about $2 million, but more than $1.5 million was returned by Bell "as part of what was said to be an ongoing means of enabling and disguising your ongoing offending".

Judge Soulio said Bell's path to sentence involved a "protracted legal process" following his arrest in mid-2017 in part due to several applications by his defence team including challenges to evidence and an application to the High Court before the trial began.

He said the sentencing process had also been "prolonged" for multiple reasons, including Bell's application to defer sentence until the outcome of his appeal and prevent the possibility of an unnecessary by-election which would cost taxpayers about $1 million and "inconvenience" constituents due to upcoming state and federal elections at the time.

Judge Soulio said Bell had not made any submissions to court about accepting responsibility, nor had he sought to explain the offending "despite the overwhelming evidence against you".

"It is apparent from the evidence at trial, from some of the witnesses called by the prosecution, that the programs delivered, were successful and that the students engaged in such programs achieved positive educational outcomes," he said.

"In that sense, the students were not the victims of your offending. 

"The funds so misappropriated by you were public monies, monies which could have instead be applied in other areas."

Bell announced he would be stepping down as the Mount Gambier MP after losing an appeal against the jury's verdicts which he had argued were "unreasonable and cannot be supported having regard to the evidence".

Days later he formally resigned from SA Parliament.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged Bell abused his position as an employee at the Department for Education to steal more than $430,000 from not-for-profit educational organisations between 2009 and 2013.

The jury had heard he stole an amount totalling $436,023.24, which was intended to support disengaged and vulnerable high school students to re-engage in study.

Bell held a position at the helm of the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) in Mount Gambier, which he had helped establish in 2006.

Bell faces separate deception case

Last month a suppression order was lifted, allowing media to report that Bell is also facing a raft of deception allegations related to the alleged misuse of the Country Members Accommodation Allowance.

Those charges relate to allegations he falsely claimed he was entitled to be paid more than $50,000 between 2015 and 2020 under the scheme.

Bell has strongly denied the allegations, which are being heard in the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Mount Gambier seat remains vacant

The jury was told the alleged offending involving the $430,000 intended for not-for-profit education organisations ended in 2013 when Bell quit to pursue a career in politics.

He won the March 2014 election as a Liberal candidate, but quit the party after he was charged in 2017.

He was then re-elected as the independent member for Mount Gambier twice in 2018 and 2022.

Judge Soulio said it was an indication of the regard in which Bell was held by the constituents in his Mount Gambier electorate.

He noted that Bell had provided several letters of support to the court ahead of sentence which outlined his contributions to the community.

"I accept that you have been a hard-working and effective member of parliament in representing your constituents and in advocating on their behalf," he said.

The South East seat remains vacant following Bell's resignation in September, after the House Speaker chose not to hold a by-election due to proximity with the March 2026 state election.

Opposition leader Vincent Tarzia today reiterated his call for a by-election.

"People in Mount Gambier, you've got taxation without representation," he said.

"I think it's absolutely atrocious that the Speaker of the House, who's being backed by the Labor Party here, has not called for a by-election."

Education Minister Blair Boyer said while the people of Mount Gambier might be disappointed with the court's verdict, the money taken by Bell was "set aside for kids who are disengaged in school".

"I think it's been a long process here, the court has done its job," he said.

"As disappointed I'm sure as the people of Mount Gambier will be, it's only five months today until we have another state election and an opportunity for the people of Mount Gambier to choose a new member of parliament to represent them on North Terrace."