BishopAccountability.org
 
 

VICTORIA Police "Investigating Cardinal George Pell over Abuse Claims"

7 News
February 19, 2016

https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/30869867/victoria-police-investigating-cardinal-george-pell-over-abuse-claims/

Cardinal Pell has strongly denied all allegations he 'sexually abused minors' during his time as a priest in Ballarat and when he was Archbishop of Melbourne in an explosive new report.

According to the Herald Sun, Victoria police are investigating allegations Cardinal Pell sexually abused minors by “both grooming and opportunity’’.

Cardinal George Pell. Photo: Yahoo7

The Cardinal released a statement on Friday evening stating that the allegations were intentionally damaging.

"The timing of these leaks is clearly designed to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermines the work of the Royal Commission.

"The allegations are without foundation and utterly false."

The statement claims the information was leaked through the media in a way to purposefully 'embarrass' the Cardinal.

"He strongly denies any wrongdoing. If the police wish to question him he will co-operate, as he has with each and every public inquiry."

The Cardinal is now calling for a public inquiry to be conducted 'in relation to the actions of those elements of the Victorian Police who are undermining the Royal Commission's work'.

The statement also said he is calling on the Premier and the Police Minister to investigate the leaked allegations.

The full statement is listed below.

Victoria Police have told Yahoo7 News they are aware of the report but "cannot comment on any cases in which an individual has been named".

Numerous alleged victims are reportedly working with detectives during a year-long investigation.

Victoria Police have assigned a team named the 'Sano taskforce' to investigate the allegations.

Cardinal Pell has denied all claims of sexual abuse. Photo: Yahoo7

The Herald Sun said "Cardinal Pell has vehemently denied all claims".

The 74-year-old was due to give evidence to the Royal Commission but said he was too sick to fly to Australia.

Ballarat clergy abuse victims hope they can watch the Cardinal as he gives testimony from Rome.

He has offered to "meet with and listen to victims and express his ongoing support" after giving evidence at the child abuse Royal Commission via videolink.

David Ridsdale, a member of the Ballarat Child Abuse Survivors group that wants to go to Rome to hear the evidence, said a meeting with the cardinal would be pleasant.

But he said he knew no survivor who had labelled any dealing with Cardinal Pell or the Church-instigated Melbourne Response "a positive experience".

Cardinal Pell has been reportedly too ill to return to Australia to give evidence at the Royal Commission. Photo: Yahoo7

"I've yet to meet one," Mr Ridsdale told AAP on Thursday.

"So that sounds to me like Cardinal Pell is blowing his own trumpet ... He chooses to ignore the fact people keep saying the (Church's) responses were inadequate."

The commission has agreed to allow Cardinal Pell to give evidence from Rome on health grounds but is seeking a suitable venue.

If one is found, a crowdfunding campaign, which has so far raised more than $180,000, will pay for a group of 15 to attend the cardinal's testimony, due to begin February 29.

He will instead give a testimony via videolink from Rome. Photo: Yahoo7

The cardinal's office said he was "anxious to present the facts without further delays".

Three days have been set aside for Cardinal Pell's third royal commission appearance, in which he will be questioned about child abuse in the Ballarat diocese and Melbourne archdiocese.

The Cardinal's full statement:

LEAKED ALLEGATIONS SPURIOUS AND FALSE – CARDINAL GEORGE PELL

Cardinal Pell is due to give evidence to the Royal Commission in just over one week.

The timing of these leaks is clearly designed to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermines the work of the Royal Commission.

The allegations are without foundation and utterly false.

It is outrageous that these allegations have been brought to the Cardinal's attention through a media leak. These undetailed allegations have not been raised with the Cardinal by the police and the false claims investigated by Justice

Southwell have been ignored by the police for over 15 years, despite the very transparent way they were dealt with by the Cardinal and the Catholic Church.

The Cardinal has called for a public inquiry into the leaking of these spurious claims by elements in the Victorian Police in a manner clearly designed to embarrass the Cardinal, in a case study where the historical failures of the

Victorian Police have been the subject of substantial evidence. These types of unfair attacks diminish the work of those good officers of the police who are diligently working to bring justice to victims. The Phillip Island allegations have been on the public record for nearly 15 years. The Southwell Report which exonerated Cardinal Pell has been in the public domain since 2002.

The Victorian police have taken no steps in all of that time to pursue the false allegations made, however the Cardinal certainly has no objection to them reviewing the materials that led Justice Southwell to exonerate him.

The Cardinal is certain that the police will quickly reach the conclusion that the allegations are false.

The Victorian Police have never sought to interview him in relation to any allegations of child sexual abuse and apart from the false allegations investigated by Justice Southwell, the Cardinal knows of no claims or incidents which relate to him.

He strongly denies any wrongdoing. If the police wish to question him he will co-operate, as he has with each and every public inquiry.

In the meantime, the Cardinal understands that several media outlets have received confidential information leaked by someone within the Victorian Police.

For elements of the police to publicly attack a witness in the same case study that has exposed serious police inaction and wrongdoing is outrageous and should be seen for what it is.

Given the serious nature of this conduct, the Cardinal has called for a public inquiry to be conducted in relation to the actions of those elements of the Victorian Police who are undermining the Royal Commission's work.

The Cardinal calls on the Premier and the Police Minister to immediately investigate the leaking of these baseless allegations.

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.