AUSTRALIA
Daily Mail
[with video]
By Australian Associated Press
Cardinal George Pell has pleaded not guilty during his brief court appearance to face historical sexual offence charges involving multiple complainants.
Pell did not speak during the brief filing hearing, which lasted six minutes.
But his lawyer Robert Richter QC told the court the 76-year-old denies all charges.
‘Cardinal Pell pleads not guilty to all the charges and will maintain his presumed innocence that he has,’ Mr Richter told the court.
Cardinal Pell’s defence team did not ask the magistrate to excuse the cardinal from appearing when the case returns to court.
The 76-year-old has taken leave from his position as Vatican treasurer to return to Australia to fight historical sexual offence charges involving multiple complainants.
The third most powerful person in the Catholic Church was confronted with a massive contingent of Australian and international media on his arrival at court on Wednesday morning.
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