Former South Australian MP Troy Bell Jailed for Theft of Public Funds

Former South Australian MP Troy Bell has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of stealing more than $430,000 in public funds intended to support vulnerable and disengaged students. Bell, 52, who represented the electorate of Mount Gambier for more than a decade, will serve a non-parole period of two and a half years.

Bell was convicted in September last year on 20 counts of theft and five counts of dishonest dealings with documents following a three-month trial in the District Court. The offences occurred between 2009 and 2013 while Bell was working within the state’s education sector, prior to entering politics.

Judge Rauf Soulio, delivering the sentence, described Bell’s conduct as a “sustained course of criminal activity” facilitated by the trust and authority of his former role. “Your theft of public monies over a sustained period is serious and significant offending,” Judge Soulio said. He added that Bell had used his position to repeatedly misappropriate funds from programs designed to support at-risk students, disguising the transactions over several years.

The court heard Bell funnelled the funds—totalling $436,023.24—from two South East educational organisations, including the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) in Mount Gambier, which he helped establish. Prosecutors said Bell used the stolen money to pay for personal expenses, including home renovations and credit card debts. While approximately $1.5 million was returned by Bell to conceal his activity, the judge noted the remaining funds were clearly diverted for personal benefit.

Judge Soulio acknowledged Bell’s longstanding community involvement and contributions as both a teacher and local MP but said these positive aspects were overshadowed by the gravity of his crimes. “You have lost much because of your offending, including your seat in the parliament and your assets,” he said, though he noted these losses were “partly self-inflicted” due to Bell’s decision to contest the charges rather than accept responsibility.

Bell’s legal proceedings spanned nearly a decade following his arrest in 2017. The court heard that much of the delay was due to applications by Bell’s defence team, including challenges to evidence and a failed High Court application. Bell did not provide any explanation for his actions during sentencing and offered no remorse, according to the judge.

The case has drawn significant public attention in South Australia, not only due to Bell’s political profile but also the nature of the funds stolen—money earmarked to support vulnerable youth. Education Minister Blair Boyer said the community would feel “deep disappointment,” adding that Bell had taken funds “set aside for kids who are disengaged in school.”

Bell resigned from parliament in September after losing his appeal against the convictions. His Mount Gambier seat remains vacant, with the state Speaker declining to call a by-election due to the proximity of the March 2026 state election. Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia criticised the decision, saying Mount Gambier residents were left without representation.

Even as Bell begins his prison sentence, his legal troubles are far from over. He faces separate deception charges over allegedly fraudulent claims of more than $50,000 under the Country Members Accommodation Allowance between 2015 and 2020. Those charges, which Bell denies, are currently before the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Bell, who was originally elected as a Liberal MP in 2014 before resigning from the party in 2017, went on to win the seat of Mount Gambier twice as an independent in 2018 and 2022. Letters of support from constituents and community members were submitted to the court, highlighting his advocacy and local dedication, but the judge stressed that public service “does not place one above the law.”

Bell was escorted from the courtroom following sentencing, watched by supporters, police officers, and a group of visiting high school students observing court proceedings.

He will be eligible for parole after serving two and a half years of his five-year sentence.