Sei sulla pagina 1di 1

4 THE COURIER Wednesday February 27, 2019 thecourier.com.

au

NEWS PELL'S FALL FROM GRACE

Cardinal sin: Pell guilty


BY ADAM COOPER, THE AGE results of the trial and retrial. Pell will be remanded in
On Tuesday Pell emerged custody after a pre-sentence
CARDINAL George Pell has from the court building to a hearing on Wednesday. He is
lodged an appeal after being huge media pack. likely to be sentenced in the
found guilty for child sexual "You're an absolute ani- fortnight after that hearing.
abuse in the most sensation- mal," one man shouted. There was an audible gasp
al verdict since the Catholic Pell was stripped of his in the courtroom on the
church became engulfed in position as the Vatican’s afternoon of December 11
worldwide abuse scandals. chief financial officer and when a jury found Pell guilty
Pell, who was Vatican expelled from Pope Francis’ of one charge of sexual pen-
treasurer, close to the Pope inner circle of trusted cardi- etration of a child under 16
and the most senior Catho- nals known as the Group of and four of committing an
lic figure in the world to be Nine, or C-9, shortly after the indecent act with, or in the
charged by police with child verdict, but due to the sup- presence of, a child under 16.
sex offences, has been found pression order the world’s Pell’s victims were two
guilty of orally raping one media was forced to pretend 13-year-old St Kevin's Col-
choirboy and molesting an- Pell, 77, stepped down due lege students who were
other in Melbourne’s St Pat- to his age. On December 11, choirboys at St Patrick's
rick’s Cathedral 22 years ago. when Pell was found guilty of Cathedral when they were
"Cardinal George Pell five charges including sexual assaulted in December 1996
has always maintained his penetration of a child under and February 1997.
innocence and continues 16 – a charge his lawyer, One of Pell's victims re-
to do so," Pell's lawyers said Robert Richter, QC, likened leased a statement via his
in a statement. "Although to "oral rape" – the cardinal lawyer, saying: "Like many
originally the Cardinal faced was granted bail and allowed survivors I have experienced
allegations from a number of to travel to have knee surgery shame, loneliness, depres-
complainants, all charges ex- before he was due to face an- sion and struggle. Like many
cept for those the subject of other trial on more charges. survivors it has taken me
the appeal have now been ei- Cardinal George Pell leaves the County Court in Melbourne. Picture: Erik Anderson/AAP Pell could be the high- years to understand the im-
ther withdrawn, discharged est-ranking Catholic figure pact upon my life."
or discontinued." the suppression order lifted. priests through the “Mel- earlier trial was discharged, in the world to be jailed for ■ Call the National Sexual
A second trial, over alle- The cardinal was Arch- bourne Response”. in September, when it was child sex abuse. Assault, Domestic
gations Pell abused boys in bishop of Melbourne when He was found guilty in a re- unable to reach a verdict. Each of the five charges of and Family Violence
a swimming pool in Ballarat he abused the two 13-year- trial last December, with the County Court Chief Judge which Pell has been found Counselling Service on
in the 1970s, has now been old boys and was managing verdict sending shockwaves Peter Kidd revoked the guilty carries a 10-year max- 1800RESPECT (1800 737
abandoned because of a lack the church’s response to through the Vatican and suppression order that pre- imum prison term. 732), Lifeline 131 114, or
of admissable evidence and widespread child abuse by across the world. A jury in an vented media reporting the Judge Peter Kidd has said beyondblue 1300 224 636.

Pell name to be cut from school building


BY JOLYON ATTWOOLL AND against Cardinal George dinal's status as an "inducted standards we expect of those
ALEX FORD Pell," a spokesperson said. Legend of the school" will al- we honour as role models for
“The university respects so be revoked - Pell attended the young men we educate,”
BALLARAT'S St Patrick's the judicial process and will from 1949 to 1959. Mr Crowley said.
College will strike Cardi- not be making any com- Headmaster John Crowley "The statement we issued
nal George Pell's name ment until all legal avenues said that he acknowledged in 2016 specifically identifies
from a building and an including any appeal have Cardinal Pell may appeal the unacceptable behaviours
honour board listing or- been concluded.” verdict, but the college must which do not align with
dained students. The Pell Wing at St Patrick's respond to the jury’s find- our expectations around
Australian Catholic Uni- College will be renamed ings - the college reserves the child safety.
versity will wait until court the Waterford Wing, after right to revisit this decision. “The college aims at every
proceedings are complete Christian Brothers' founder Mr Crowley said the col- opportunity to fulfil our mis-
before making a decision to Edmund Rice's home, in line lege aims to role model the sion of raising fine boys to
about its Pell Centre, a teach- with protocols established highest possible standards the status of great men.
ing and learning building at in 2016 for the removal of of behaviour to students en- “The college also remains
ACU's Ballarat campus. names from buildings and trusted to its care. ever mindful of the victims
“Australian Catholic Uni- places of honour. “The jury’s verdict demon- and survivors who require RENAMED: The building at St Patrick's College. Picture:
versity is aware of a finding A statement from St Pat- strates that Cardinal Pell’s our ongoing care, solidarity Lachlan Bence
made by a Victorian jury rick's College added the car- behaviours have not met the and support.”

Subscribe now and save


• Full website access for only $3.75 a week
• 30-day free trial
• Digital print edition
• Pay monthly or save 20%
with an annual subscription
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS.
Subscribe today at thecourier.com.au

Potrebbero piacerti anche