Former adviser to Pope Francis George Pell sentenced to six years in prison for sexual assault on two choir boys in 1990s!
- George Pell is his name.
- He is a former Vatican treasurer Cardinal and is one of the higher officials of the Catholic Church.
- He was a former top adviser to Pope Francis.
On Wednesday 13 March 2017, the hearing Court sentenced George Pell to 6 years in prison for sexual abuse of 2 choir boys in Melbourne in the 1990s.
The police and law enforcement authority would tag his name as a sexual offender for the rest of his life; a blemish which he cannot erase for his lifetime. He is the most senior Catholic whom the law hash found guilty of sexual offences.
The judgment on live broadcast
County Court of Victoria Chief Judge Peter Kidd handed down the sentence to George and said:
“There is a real possibility that at age 77, Pell could spend the rest of his life in prison.”
The telecast channel only aired the face of the Judge as he delivered the judgment over almost an hour and the channel disconnected the telecast once the Judge read out the whole sentence.
The Judge further said:
“In my view, your conduct was permeated by staggering arrogance,”
The Court convicted George of 5 charges of sexual abuse against two children; four of indecent acts and one of sexual penetration. He will not get parole for three years and 8 months. Judge Peter added:
“Viewed overall, I consider your moral culpability across both episodes to be high,”
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Peter further said:
“Cardinal Pell, I find beyond reasonable doubt that, on the specific facts of your case, there was a clear relationship of trust with the victims, and you breached that trust and abused your position to facilitate this offending,”
George was a powerful man and thought that he could control the situation if someone catches him. He believed that the kids would not complain. The Judge felt that George has displayed no remorse for his actions.
George has maintained that he is innocent and has filed an appeal which is put up for hearing in June this year.
After the verdict, George filed some paperwork and bowing to the Judge walked out with a walking stick and escorted by five corrections officers.
The case of sexual abuse against the two boys
The time period of the two offences against the then 13-year-old boys took place in layec1996 and early 1997. George conducted the sexual abuse after the Sunday mass in a room and the corridor at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
George at that time was the archbishop of the Church. One of the victim boy died in 2014 and the other victim who is alive narrated to the Judge how George committed the heinous crime.
He said that George exposed himself to them and fondled their genitals. George masturbated in front of them. He then asked one of the boys to do an oral sex act on him.
The Judge described the act as brazen and forceful. He said:
“The acts were sexually graphic. Both victims were visibly and audibly distressed during this offending,”
What the surviving victim and family feel about the judgment?
The surviving victim whose identity the court did not reveal as per the law of the land said through his solicitor:
” I find it hard to take comfort in the verdict for now. Being a witness in a criminal case has not been easy. I am doing my best to hold myself and my family together,”
The dead victim’s father was not too happy with the verdict. His lawyer Lisa Flynn from Shine Lawyers conveyed:
“When he compares what his son and his family and he himself went through, it seems quite a light sentence,”
Lisa also said:
“It’s a significant day for survivors and victims of child sexual abuse particularly within the Catholic Church, because what it shows them is that they can come forward, that the courts will believe them and the perpetrators of the crimes against them will be convicted and sentenced and held accountable for what they did, regardless of the position of authority they hold,”
George Pell and his fate within the Church
Pope Francis who is leader to 1.2 bloom Catholics worldwide has yet not decided the fate of George within the Church. The Vatican said that it would decide on after the result of the appeal.
If the Church strips him of his title, he would be the second one Cardinal to lose the title in 100 years and the most senior official to lose his priesthood.
Source: Reuters
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