AUSTRALIA
ABC News
Cardinal George Pell has vehemently denied allegations of abuse, in a statement issued in the wake of media reports that he is being investigated by Victoria Police.
In response to a Herald Sun report that a Victoria Police taskforce was investigating abuse allegations against him, Australia’s most high-profile Catholic said the allegations were “undetailed” and had not been raised with him.
A statement from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney also said allegations of abuse that were raised 15 years ago were “without foundation and utterly false”.
Cardinal Pell, 74, is due to give evidence at the child sex abuse royal commission on February 29.
“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 statement read.
Cardinal Pell has called for a public inquiry into the leaking of the abuse claims to the media.
“It is outrageous that these allegations have been brought to the cardinal’s attention through a media leak,” the statement said.
Police said they would not comment on Taskforce SANO’s investigations, which look at historic sexual offending.
“Victoria Police will not provide a running commentary on these investigations as it would be inappropriate to do so,” it said in a statement.
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