Police "Investigating Allegations Cardinal George Pell Sexually Abused Minors" - Claims He Has Vehemently Denied and Described As "Utterly False"

By Jenny Awford
Daily Mail
February 19, 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3454307/Cardinal-George-Pell-investigated-child-abuse-allegations.html

Cardinal George Pell is being investigated over claims that he sexually abused and groomed minors, it has been reported.

An explosive Herald Sun report claimed Victoria Police is probing allegations about 'multiple offences' committed when the 74-year-old was a priest in Ballarat and Archbishop of Melbourne.

But Cardinal Pell has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they are 'without foundation and utterly false', according to a spokesman.

The report said a taskforce is investigating claims that Cardinal Pell sexually abused minors by 'both grooming and opportunity'.

Cardinal George Pell is being investigated over claims that he sexually abused and groomed minors, it has been reported

Detectives have reportedly been working on the investigation, which has involved interviewing 'numerous' alleged victims, over the past year.

Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia they are aware of the report but 'cannot comment on any cases in which an individual has been named'.

Cardinal Pell is due to give evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in just over one week.

He is currently in Rome and claims he is too ill to fly to front the commission, but will testify via video-link from Rome.

A spokesman for the Cardinal said that he 'strongly denies' any wrongdoing.

His office said police have not raised the allegations with Cardinal Pell and that he has never been interviewed over child sexual abuse claims.

But Cardinal Pell said that if police wish to question him he will co-operate with any inquiry.

'The allegations are without foundation and utterly false,' his office said.

A taskforce is investigating claims that Cardinal Pell (pictured at the Vatican) sexually abused minors by 'both grooming and opportunity'

Cardinal Pelli s due to give evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in just over one week

'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 certain that the police will quickly reach the conclusion that the allegations are false.'

His office said that previous 'false' allegations from a church camp at Victoria's Phillip Island, investigated by Justice Southwell, have been ignored by the police for over 15 years.

'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 spokesman said the leak was timed to cause 'maximum damage' to the Cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermine the work of the Royal Commission.

The Cardinal has called for a public inquiry into the leaking of the 'spurious claims', his spokesman said.

'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,' a spokesman said.

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

Cardinal Pell is currently in Rome and claims he is too ill to fly to front the commission, but will testify via video-link from Rome

STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF 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.

Cardinal Pell has vehemently denied the allegations, saying they are 'without foundation and utterly false', according to a spokesman

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.