Woman who attacked Senator Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG avoids jail

Ebony Bell has been sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order. (AAP: Joel Carrett)

A woman who assaulted federal independent senator Lidia Thorpe in 2024 has been spared jail.

Senator Thorpe was with friends near the MCG after an AFL match between Essendon and Richmond when she was attacked by Ebony Jan Bell.

Bell was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order over the attack and another unrelated assault.

A woman who assaulted federal senator Lidia Thorpe outside the MCG in 2024 has been spared jail, in a case that has been marred by secrecy in the Victorian courts.

Senator Thorpe was with a group of friends near the stadium after the Dreamtime at the G game between Essendon and Richmond when she was attacked by Ebony Jan Bell.

The independent senator said she missed numerous sitting days because of injuries from the incident.

Lidia Thorpe suffered multiple injuries in the attack. (ABC News: Callum Flinn)

On Friday, Bell was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order over the attack and another unrelated assault.

Details of the case can finally be reported, after a longstanding suppression order was lifted.

In a statement, Senator Thorpe said she was thankful the case was over and wanted to "bring an end to speculation surrounding this matter".

Victorian woman Ebony Bell points at Federal Senator Lidia Thorpe (in Richmond jersey) minutes before the fight breaks out outside the MCG. (Supplied: Magistrates' Court of Victoria)

"I want to put on record that throughout this process, I have consistently advocated against a prison sentence for the person involved," the independent senator said.

"I also want to reiterate that I had never met this person before the incident. I had no idea who they were.

"From the beginning, I have asked for the privacy of everyone involved to be respected.

Senator Thorpe was with two friends near the stadium when they were attacked by Bell, now aged 29.

During the scuffle, Senator Thorpe was punched and fell to the ground.

A hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court was told Senator Thorpe suffered multiple injuries, including soreness to the head, face, nerve pain around her shoulder and numbness in her hands and fingers.

Outside court, Ms Bell was asked by reporters if she wanted to apologise to the senator.

On Friday, Magistrate Jill Prior said Bell's attack was not planned, nor sophisticated, and occurred on a day when Indigenous culture was being celebrated at the marquee AFL game.

"This offending has had an enduring impact on them," she said of the victims.

During a hearin