Police probe still seeking George Pell sex abuse evidence, by Dennis Shanahan, Australian (June 14, 2017)

Police are still canvassing for new evidence and allegations against George Pell in relation to sexual abuse claims almost a month after Victorian Police Commissioner Graham Ashton said a decision on laying charges would be made “fairly quickly”.

Victoria Police confirmed last night that a decision on laying charges was expected “soon”.

Last week, however, police were still investigating the claims and interviewed at least three men who were choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral between 1996 and 2001, when Cardinal Pell was the archbishop of Melbourne

The Australian understands the police were told none of the men had any knowledge of any abuse when they were there and they had offered to make further statements for police or in court.

Police have been investigating allegations of sexual abuse by Cardinal Pell for more than two years, including that he sexually abused two choir boys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne, and have twice sought advice from the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions in the past year.

The OPP has not recommended charges be laid against Australia’s most senior Catholic, who is now based in Rome as the Vatican’s finance minister, and left it to police to decide.

Cardinal Pell has denied all allegations of sexual abuse and has co-operated fully with the investigation.

Four weeks ago, Mr Ashton said a decision on whether to lay charges against Cardinal Pell was “fairly imminent” after the second advice had been received but indicated police opinion was divided.

“It doesn’t need to be too long from now if we’ve got advice back,” he said.

“Generally the process from here, on cases of this nature, are done fairly quickly, within a … a few weeks.

“These allegations are complex and there’s a lot in it in terms of the inquiries that have been made, the work that’s been done and the legal advice.

“I’m not going to comment on this particular case, but I’ll make the overall statement that you can often get different views around investigations and it’s not always the case of total agreement or total dissent.”

Mr Ashton said the prosecutor’s advice was being reviewed by the lead detective and officer in charge of the Sano taskforce, which investigates allegations arising from a Victorian parliamentary inquiry and the royal commission into institutional child sexual abuse.

“They’re working their way back through that final advice now so activity on it is not far off one way or another,” Mr Ashton said.

Last night, a Victoria Police spokesman said: “This matter remains subject of an ongoing investigation.

“We expect to make a decision on this soon. We will not comment further at this time.”