AUSTRALIA
7 News
Megan Neil, Jacqui Le, Kaitlyn Offer and Angus Livingston – AAP on July 26, 2017
Cardinal George Pell’s first court appearance lasted only minutes under the intense glare of the world’s media, signalling the start of a lengthy legal fight by the highest-ranking Catholic official to be charged with sexual abuse.
The third most senior Vatican official did not have to be at the Melbourne Magistrates Court for the brief administrative hearing, nor again profess his innocence, but chose to do both.
High-profile barrister Robert Richter QC noted Pell did not have to enter a plea at this early stage but said he will plead not guilty to multiple historical sexual offence charges involving multiple complainants.
“For the avoidance of doubt and because of the interest, might I indicate that Cardinal Pell will plead not guilty to all the charges and will maintain his presumed innocence that he has,” Mr Richter told a packed courtroom.
Pell entered the court as he left it a short time later: shepherded by a ring of police officers, their arms linked, in an attempt to keep a 100-strong media contingent at bay as he walked the short distance to and from Mr Richter’s office.
Several photographers were knocked over as they climbed the steps to the court building.
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