Cardinal George Pell "Facing Sex Abuse Charges after Two Men Claim He Groped Them at a Pool in 1970s"

By Lucy Mae Beers And Brianne Tol
Daily Mail
July 27, 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3710445/Cardinal-George-Pell-accused-child-abuse-1970s.html

Cardinal George Pell is facing multiple child abuse allegations after two men came forward claiming they were groped by the Catholic cleric at a pool in the 1970s.

The men, who were in a Victorian primary school at the time, say Cardinal Pell, 74, abused them while they were swimming at Ballarat's Eureka Pool during the summer of 1978-79, an allegation the cardinal strongly denies.

One of the men, Lyndon Monument, told ABC's 7.30 he was reluctant to speak up because of the power Cardinal Pell held.

Cardinal George Pell has been accused of child abuse in the 1970s after two men came forward claiming they were groped by the cleric

The men, who were in a Victorian primary school at the time, say Cardinal Pell (pictured) abused them while they were swimming at Ballarat's Eureka Pool during the summer of 1978-79

The two men, now in their 40s, have given separate statements to Victoria Police's special Taskforce Sano last year.

ABC reported that several other complaints have been made against Cardinal Pell to the taskforce, including an alleged incident involving two boys in the 1990s.

At the time, Cardinal pell was the Archbishop of Melbourne working to create The Melbourne Response, which addresses accusations of abuse within the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Pell, who was a priest in Ballarat in the 70s has denied the allegations, saying claims he has sexually abused anyone, at any place and at any time were 'totally untrue and completely wrong'.

Cardinal Pell, who was a priest in Ballarat in the 70s, has denied the allegations, saying claims he has sexually abused anyone, at any place and at any time, were 'totally untrue and completely wrong'

One of the men accusing Cardinal Pell (pictured) of abuse, Lyndon Monument, told ABC's 7.30 he was reluctant to speak up because of the power he held

Last month Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed child exploitation taskforce Sano is investigating the cardinal and that detectives would fly to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell if necessary.

Cardinal Pell testified in February from Rome via Skype to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse regarding an investigation of Australia's worst pedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, and other priests at a Christian all-boys school in the Ballarat diocese in the 70s.

He denied allegations that he had covered up the abuse of dozens of children but admitted that having the group of priests at the same school at the same time was a 'disastrous coincidence' and claimed that he was deceived by senior clergy during a time of 'crimes and cover-ups.'

Cardinal Pell, who gave evidence for four nights, admitted that the church had made 'enormous mistakes.'

He was criticized for not returning to Australia to testify, saying he was unable to travel because of a heart condition.

Last month Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed child exploitation taskforce Sano is still investigating the cardinal and that detectives would fly to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell if necessary