Pell’s abuse allegations ‘utterly false’

AUSTRALIA
9 News

Cardinal George Pell is facing a fresh round of allegations he molested minors while he was the Archbishop of Melbourne, after a Victorian newspaper reported he has been under investigation.

The Herald Sun claims that Victoria Police possesses a collection of documents alleging the cardinal has committed “multiple offences” while he was a priest in Ballarat and also the Archbishop of Melbourne.

Cardinal Pell began work as a priest in Ballarat after being ordained in 1966 and was Archbishop of Melbourne from 1996 to 2001.

A statement issued by the Catholic Church has called the allegations “without foundation and utterly false”, and says they were leaked at a time “clearly designed to do maximum damage to the Cardinal and the Catholic Church”.

It calls for those in the police who leaked confidential information to face a public inquiry.

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