South Australian independent MP Troy Bell has vowed to continue to fight to clear his name after losing a bid to have theft and dishonesty charges permanently stayed.
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Mr Bell has pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of theft and six counts of aggravated dishonestly dealing with documents.
He recently applied to the District Court for a permanent stay of the proceedings because of errors in how the case against him was compiled which he said would prevent him receiving a fair trial.
But in a judgment on Friday, Judge Liesl Chapman dismissed the application.
She said while the mistakes and errors that were made were unhelpful, allowing the prosecution to proceed would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
Bell's alleged offending relates to the misappropriation of thousands of dollars and followed an investigation by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.
The charges cover a period before he entered state parliament when he worked as an independent provider of educational programs.
Prosecutors have accused him of overcharging and falsifying invoices, accounts and meeting minutes.
But in arguing for the stay, his lawyers were critical of the relationship between ICAC investigators and the Director of Public Prosecutions, particularly the move to refer the case directly to prosecutors, bypassing police.
"My decision not to grant a stay is not to condone the direct referral to the DPP, the bypassing of SAPOL involvement and the engagement of the ICAC in criminal proceedings, but rather to recognise that a stay will only be granted in very rare circumstances," Judge Chapman said.
Outside court Bell said while he was disappointed with the decision, seeking a permanent stay was always a "high hurdle" to overcome.
"This just means that we progress and I look forward to clearing my name," he said.
Bell's legal team has also flagged seeking leave to appeal Judge Chapman's ruling in the Supreme Court.
As the member for Mt Gambier, he was first elected as a Liberal in 2014 but quit the party after his arrest in August 2017.
He was returned at the 2018 state election after contesting the poll as an independent.
Australian Associated Press