South West man Creston Anthony Duane Bell accused of filming ex-partner without her knowledge, breaching VRO

A South West man has appeared in court accused of taking photos and filming his ex-partner without her knowledge, breaching a family violence restraining order. Creston Anthony Duane Bell appeared in Bunbury Magistrate’s Court via audiolink from Bunbury Police Station on Friday charged with four counts of breaching a family violence restraining order. Mr Bell’s duty lawyer Michelle Huber began making a bail application on his behalf despite conceding that the alleged restraining order breaches related to an ex-partner and that he would find himself in a “third-strike position” if convicted. Police prosecutor Sergeant Jane Gillham opposed the application, telling the court the alleged breaches were “quite intimidating towards the protected person” and there would be no suitable bail conditions for Mr Bell to comply with. In one of the alleged breaches, Mr Bell allegedly stood three metres away from the protected person and used his mobile phone to take photos of the protected person and her car as she left her house. Mr Bell was also accused of filming the woman while attending Buck’s Diner as well as allegedly sending her a series of text messages, which Sergeant Gillham described as “quite disgusting and abusive”. It was also alleged there was a second occasion Mr Bell allegedly sent a series of text messages to the woman but the content of the messages were allegedly not as abusive as the first occasion. Ms Huber told the court Mr Bell believed the restraining order had been cancelled before ultimately adjourning the bail application for a week to obtain further instructions. Mr Bell was next due to appear on March 25 to continue the bail application. He was remanded in custody.