The High Court of Australia has reserved its decision until a later date about whether Cardinal George Pell was wrongly convicted for historical child sex offences.
Last August the Victorian Court of Appeal upheld a December 2018 jury verdict convicting the 78-year-old in a 2-1 ruling.
He had been convicted of abusing two boys inside St Patrick’s Melbourne cathedral in 1996.
Cardinal Pell, who has strenuously maintained his innocence, is currently serving a six-year jail term with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.
A full bench of seven judges presided over the hearing on 11 and 12 March. It reserved its decision on whether to grant Cardinal Pell special leave to appeal and the strength of the appeal.
Related articles:
Cardinal Pell’s case goes to High Court
The questions that linger after Cardinal Pell’s appeal
Archbishop calls for civility after Cardinal Pell appeal dismissed