Decision date announced as claims feature in TV documentary
The High Court of Australia has announced it will deliver its judgement on Cardinal George Pell’s case in Brisbane on Tuesday 7 April at 10am.
It’s understood that the event will not be live-streamed, but a summary of the decision will be published online by the High Court shortly after it is delivered.
Meanwhile, allegations about Cardinal George Pell to be broadcast on the ABC documentary series Revelation are not new, according to a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Sydney in a statement.
The 2 April statement said that they were made to the police in 2016-2017. She wrote that Cardinal Pell “emphatically” denied the allegations when interviewed by the police about them.
“Magistrate Belinda Wallington granted leave for both allegations to be tested at a Committal Hearing,” she said.
“The ABC has named the complainants. A day was booked for ‘B’s’ allegation to be tested. Before that could occur, these allegations were withdrawn by the prosecution. The second complainant, ‘PC’s’ allegation was tested at committal.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions later determined not to proceed with the matter to trial and discontinued the charge. This decision was made prior to Chief Judge Kidd’s tendency ruling.
“Cardinal Pell has always said he is innocent of all and any allegations of sexual abuse.”
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 High Court hearing on 11 and 12 March.
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