Ethan Bell refused bail over alleged assault of 13-year-old near Ipswich
An Ipswich magistrate remanded Bell in custody after prosecutors opposed bail, citing risks to the girl and the community.
Ethan Bell, 41, was refused bail at Ipswich Magistrates Court in Queensland on Tuesday, 20 October, over charges arising from the alleged assault of a 13-year-old girl in Blackstone, west of Brisbane. ABC News reported that he was remanded in custody, with another court appearance scheduled for Wednesday, 21 October.
Bell faces one count of indecent treatment of a child under 16 and one count of supplying dangerous drugs to a minor under 16. The charges followed a police response to a report of an assault on Thomas Street in Blackstone on the night of 14 October.
Why the Ipswich court refused bail
Bell appeared before the court by video link. His lawyer, Nicolas Fisher, applied for bail and proposed conditions including a curfew and reporting to authorities several times a week. Fisher told the court his client posed a minimal risk of failing to appear or reoffending, ABC News reported.
Prosecutors opposed bail, arguing that Bell presented an unacceptable risk of reoffending and a risk to the community and the girl. Magistrate Grace Kalhert called the alleged offending ‘concerning’ and said she could not be satisfied that any bail condition would reduce the risk of reoffending, according to ABC News.
In describing the allegations before the court, Kalhert said Bell was alleged to have offered the girl a lift home, compelled her to take drugs and then sought to indecently assault her. Those allegations have not been determined at trial. Bell was remanded in custody after the bail application was refused.
What police reported in Blackstone
Queensland Police said officers were called to Thomas Street at about 11:30pm on 14 October after reports that the girl had been assaulted. In a statement republished by Mirage News, police said officers arrived within 10 minutes but the alleged offender had already left in a black Toyota Kluger.
ABC News reported that police allege the girl did not know Bell. Police said they located and arrested a 41-year-old man at an address in Bundamba on Friday, 16 October, two days after the reported incident. The charges concern the alleged conduct; the bail ruling decided whether Bell would remain in custody while the case proceeds.
Bell was scheduled to return to Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 21 October, ABC News reported. That date is a scheduled appearance, and the report does not establish any later court outcome.
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Sources and context
- Man denied bail after alleged sexual assault of 13yo west of BrisbaneABC News
- Indecent Treatment Of Child Charges, BlackstoneMirage News (Queensland Police statement republication)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.