The position of the Catholic Church in Australia which is facing hundreds of civil claims by survivors of clerical sex abuse will have been dealt a further blow following the recently published findings of the Royal Commission relating to Cardinal Pell.
The Royal Commission found that Cardinal Pell knew by 1982 of complaints against Gerard Ridsdale and perhaps as early as 1977 and was aware of the church’s practice of shifting Ridsdale to different parishes.
On 12 March the High Court in Australia deferred ruling on an appeal to overturn the conviction of former Vatican treasurer George Pell for sexually assaulting two teenage choirboys in the 1990s for which he was sentenced to a six year jail term.
After two days of legal arguments, the High Court of Australia said it was still considering whether to allow the appeal.
Australia’s High Court has agreed to hear a final appeal from Cardinal George Pell over his conviction for sexually assaulting two teenage choirboys.
The Victoria Court of Appeal yesterday rejected the appeal by Cardinal Pell against his convictions for sexual abuse against two boys in Melbourne in the 1990s.
Pell was sentenced to six years in prison in March 2019 on foot of these convictions. He has and continues to maintain his innocence.
On 5 June 2019 at the Victoria State Court of Appeal, Cardinal Pell’s legal team launched an application for leave to appeal his conviction on one charge of sexually penetrating a child under 16, and four counts of committing an indecent act on a child under 16 in a Melbourne cathedral more than 20 years ago. The Court is also hearing the appeal against the conviction at the same time.
Cardinal Pell was sentenced to six years in prison, which he is currently serving in a Melbourne prison and it is reported that he is being held in special protective custody because due to the nature of his convictions he is regarded as being at higher risk of harm from other prisoners.
