PARIS (FRANCE)
International Association of Free Thought
April 8, 2020
Cardinal George Pell has been released by Australia’s highest court after unanimously quashing his conviction for sexual assault of two boys twenty years ago at a Cathedral. He was serving a six year sentence. The jury had unanimously believed his accuser, one of the boys. The prosecuting QC said of his evidence: “It was absolutely compelling. …. He was clearly not a liar. He was not a fantasist. He was a witness of truth.” His alleged fellow victim had died from a drug overdose, albeit without having disclosed the abuse allegation to his family.
On the other hand, the jury at an earlier trial had failed to reach a verdict. Cardinal Pell denied the charges of assaulting the boys in the cathedral. He and others maintained that he could not have had the time or opportunity to carry out the assault. The High Court unanimously concluded that the doubts raised about time and opportunity were sufficient to overturn the verdict.
Cardinal Pell repeated “I have consistently maintained my innocence while suffering from a serious injustice”.
Nevertheless, Cardinal Pell acknowledged “there is certainly hurt and bitterness enough”… “I do not want my acquittal to add to the hurt and bitterness so many feel”.
Cardinal Pell added: “However, my trial was not a referendum on the Catholic Church; nor a referendum on how Church authorities in Australia dealt with the crime of paedophilia in the Church.”
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