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George Pell: Court Reserves Decision In Cardinal Sexual Abuse Case

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Cardinal George PellImage copyright
Reuters

Legend

Cardinal George Pell is serving a six-year prison sentence in Australia

Australia's highest court has reserved its decision on the success of Cardinal George Pell's attempt to overturn his convictions for sexual abuse.

The ex-Vatican treasurer is serving a six-year prison sentence after a jury found out that he had mistreated two boys at a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s.

He is the highest Catholic in the world to have been imprisoned for such crimes, but maintains his innocence.

Pell challenged the verdict before the High Court of Australia.

During the Wednesday and Thursday hearings, defense and prosecution teams argued over whether the jury had properly examined all of the evidence.

The seven appeals judges then reserved their decision until a later date. They did not specify when.

The long-standing affair rocked the Catholic Church, where Pell had been one of the Pope's most important advisers.

The Vatican was pressured to defrock the religious, but maintained that it deserved a full and fair legal process.

What was the initial conviction?

In December 2018, a jury unanimously found Pell guilty of sexual abuse of two 13-year-old choir boys in private rooms of St Patrick's Cathedral. Pell was Archbishop of Melbourne at the time.

The convictions included one count of sexual penetration and four counts of indecent acts.

Pell's trial heard testimony from the only surviving victim. The abuse was not seen by anyone else, but the trial also heard testimony from dozens of worshipers.

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Media captionActivists celebrated when Victoria court upheld Pell’s conviction last year

In sentencing Pell in 2019, Judge Peter Kidd said the clerk had committed "a brazen and forced sexual attack on the two victims".

The verdict was confirmed last year by the Victoria Court of Appeal, after a previous challenge from Pell.

Chronology of key events in the case of Pell

  • June 2017: Victoria police charge Pell with "historic sexual assault offenses". Cardinal vehemently denies accusations by Rome
  • May 2018: A judge orders the opening of a criminal trial in Australia. Pell officially pleads not guilty
  • September 2018: Trial ends with suspended jury, prompting second trial
  • December 2018: Second jury unanimously finds Pell guilty
  • February 2018: Media reports Pell's conviction for the first time after a gag is lifted
  • March 2019: Pell sentenced to up to six years in prison
  • August 2019: Pell unsuccessfully challenges the verdict of the Victoria Court of Appeal
  • September 2019: He files a final appeal to the High Court of Australia
  • 12th of March: The court reserves its decision after two days of hearing

How did Pell challenge?

His central argument was that the jury and the previous Court of Appeal relied too much on the evidence of the victim who testified.

His lawyers have described the victim's testimony as "convincing", but argue that it has not been substantiated. They claimed that the jury did not properly consider other evidence.

"Whatever the complainant's favorable position, it was not open to the jury, acting rationally, to conclude that the charge had eliminated all reasonable doubt," argued his lawyers.

Prosecutors dismissed the claims.

When will there be a decision?

It's not clear, but it doesn't seem imminent. The judges asked the legal teams to submit additional written observations in the coming week.

Local media said it could even take months.

Who is George Pell?

Pell was among the highest figures in the world hierarchy of the Church.

Cardinal in 2003, he was summoned to Rome in 2014 to help clean up the finances of the Vatican.

Image copyright
Getty Images

Legend

Pope John Paul II appointed Pell cardinal in 2003

He has built a reputation as a disciplined church leader who had strict conservative views against gay marriage, abortion and contraception.

In Australia, he circulated among the political elite and, even after his conviction, he received public statements of support from two former prime ministers.

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