It was reported yesterday that Cardinal George Pell is the subject of a twelve month investigation by Victoria Police over allegations of child sexual abuse, dating from the time he was a priest to when he became Archbishop of Melbourne.
Pell has issued a furious statement, demanding an investigation into Victoria Police leakages, and denying the allegations. The full transcript of this statement is in the above link.
In his statement Pell refers to an allegation of sexual molestation made against him in 2002, referred to as the Philip Island allegation. This series of alleged incidents with one complainant was the subject of a church inquiry, headed by retired Victorian Supreme Court Judge A.J. Southwell, who was selected and paid by the church to conduct the inquiry, within terms of reference set by the church. Southwell found that both Pell and the complainant appeared to be speaking the truth, and he could not find substantial grounds to proceed with the complaint.
Pell claims to have been “exonerated” by this inquiry, however a Sydney Morning Herald editorial saw it otherwise:
Mr Southwell’s conclusion is exquisitely balanced. He accepts “that the complainant, when giving evidence of molesting, gave the impression that he was speaking honestly from an actual recollection”. However, he says Dr Pell “also gave me the impression he was speaking the truth”. A significant part of Mr Southwell’s report concerns the standard of proof; because he considered what was alleged against Dr Pell as serious, he was inclined to apply a strict burden, akin to the “beyond reasonable doubt” of criminal proceedings. That helped Dr Pell. It also made Mr Southwell’s careful conclusion – that he could not be “satisfied that the complaint has been established” – rather less than a complete exoneration.
It’s not known if the allegations currently under investigation by Victoria Police include this one. They are referred to as “numerous” in initial reports, as well as having occurred throughout a considerable time frame, as Pell worked his way up the church hierarchy from priest to Archbishop.
Victoria Police have also issued a statement this evening, saying they do not comment on specific allegations.
In case anyone has forgotten how ruthless Pell has been in his pursuit of child sex abuse survivors who’ve attempted to obtain justice, it’s worth re-reading the John Ellis case in which Pell’s legal team managed to obtain the verdict that victims can’t sue the Catholic church (it doesn’t exist in law) or the trustees (who aren’t responsible for supervising priests) but only the offending priest (dead) or the offending priest’s supervising bishop (also dead). Pell also instructed his lawyers to pursue Ellis for costs.
Pell, confessor and mentor to sacked Prime Minister Tony Abbott, is now safe in the Vatican, beyond the threat of extradition treaties.
I wonder how those who leapt to Pell’s defence after Tim Minchin’s protest song are feeling right now.
Of course we can’t possibly comment on Pell’s guilt or innocence. It is interesting, however, that Victoria Police have seen fit to devote twelve months of their time so far, to investigating complaints.
This article was originally published on No Place For Sheep as Well, now Cardinal Pell, you’re beginning to smell…
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Following revelations in the Herald Sun this week about a year long Victorian Police investigation into multiple allegations of sexual abuse against Cardinal George Pell, Attorney-General George Brandis needs to explain what his covert off-the-record meeting with Pell in July 2015 was about; and what he knew of this investigation into Pell before he met with him.
http://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/other/brandis-secret-meeting-with-pell/vi-AAdeThd
See also
Oh, George – The Lavish Lunch With George & George
Guests at the IPA 70th birthday party hosted by Andrew Bolt:
Cardinal Pell, George Brandis, Tony Abbott, Bronwyn Bishop, Cory Bernardi, Greg Hunt, Tim Wilson, Rupert Murdoch, Gina Rinehart, News Limited boss Kim Williams
It would be too hard for me to find now, but Pell’s meeting with Brandis was brought up in one of our articles a month or two ago.
Precisely what we would expect him to do, they never admit their guilt, it is then up to us to prove the allegations which I suppose the Victorian Police have been trying to do for 12 months, I sincerely hope they nail him.
Michael,
“Then came the revelation that Pell met secretly with Attorney General George Brandis in May this year, a month before the Pope’s encyclical was released. I wonder what they discussed?
Did George Brandis do a deal asking for George Pell to debunk climate change? Was it an exchange, guaranteeing a more lenient time in the witness box at the upcoming Royal Commission into Child Abuse?
George Pell has made the headlines here in Australia for all the wrong reasons.”
My mind boggles at the fact that Australia pays to maintain a special Vatican embassy (The Embassy to the Holy See).
http://holysee.embassy.gov.au/hyse/aboutus.html
They do not provide consular services.
But they provide a very nice income for whoever gets the gig. I believe Tony Abbott suggested Brian Loughnane. It seems to be a gift for services rendered.
Oops, Kaye Lee beat me to it, but here’s the MSM story about the meeting in case folk don’t want to read that whole article:
http://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/afl/brandis-secret-meeting-with-pell/vp-AAdeThd
Btw, if you want to find an old AIMN article, don’t sift through the archives, just Google “theaimn” and a couple of keywords like “Pell, Brandis” and bingo, you’ll have it before you have time to make a cup of tea.
“Too hard” was another way of saying “too lazy”. 🙁
I knew that! It’s also the reason I use the Google method. Sloth has its practical virtues.
One man’s sloth is another man’s innovation
“Of course we can’t possibly comment on Pell’s guilt or innocence.”
We can, however, assess facts.
He was ok to travel to Ballarat in March, 2015. Because that is what he did.
Case #28 was scheduled to have three hearings in Ballarat; May and December, 2015, and February,2016. Pall was not a ‘witness’ in the first hearing in May, 2015. He met with brandy in May 2015. The second hearing of case #28 was inexplicably rescheduled (in June, 2015) to be heard in Melbourne in December, at which pall was expected to be called as a witness. Ironically, his security was one of the reasons cited for the change of venue. Having read and heard much of the testimony of victims/survivors, all they have expressed is a desire for justice. I am in awe of their dignity and courage. I have yet to read or hear any comment from any of them that would imply an interest in anything other than a hope they will, one day, see justice.
For some reason, there was an outcry. His ‘heart’ problems became a reason for him to not attend the December hearing but he offered to give his evidence in a video link. The RC declined the offer, and rescheduled him to attend in the February, 2016, session. His ‘heart’ condition worsened to the extent the RC accepted his offer of the video link. The success of the crowd funding appears to have surprised the pall, and possibly the RC.
If pall was so certain of his innocence, his impeccable past, and became aware of a ‘heart impediment’ that precluded him from flying way back in November, why didn’t he get a boat, or go across land? I’m certain he could afford first class passage, along with all of his specialists. Ok, we’re not big on boat arrivals these days, but for him we would surely make an exception.
His testimony before the Victorian government enquiry laid a lot of groundwork, including his estimation of the churches wealth in Australia exceeding $1trillion, without a legal or corporate structure.
Naturally, we can’t possibly comment on Pell’s guilt or innocence. His testimony is being delayed and will likely be insipid by the time it’s given. His actions, however, are becoming testimony in their own right. Grateful, Ms Wilson. Take care
Pell, the sanctimonious, ambitious and ruthlessly arrogant priest who lived with the WORST paedophile in Australia, ie Gerald Ridsdale for YEARS – a loathsome predator who sexually abused COUNTLESS hundreds of children and who was not only PROTECTED by Pell for years but was SUPPORTED by Pell throughout his court appearances which convicted Ridsdale of heinous crimes and the destruction of so many lives! Pell, this monstrous aberration, who rose like a snake in a pit to become no less than the LEADER of the Catholic Church in Australia, now HIDES behind a collar – like a spineless despicable COWARD – now moved out of his luxurious $30 Million villa outside of Rome to the Vatican because he KNOWS that this country does NOT have an extradition treaty with the Vatican but does so with Italy. How the mighty have fallen, eh Pell? You repugnant, vile hypocrite … there is a special place in HELL for you, Pell and the clock is ticking!
Well, that sheds some new light on Pell’s steadfast refusal to return to Australia, which seemed to be an ongoing PR disaster.
Oh dear, it is so unseemly to have such feelings of pleasure about the noose tightening around Pell’s neck, metaphorically at least. And so much the result of his own statements and actions. The Richard Carleton piece was an exquisite skewering and he actually thanked Carleton. His buggering, not in the literal sense, will be wonderful when it comes.
Sydney’s Archbishop George Pell told pilgrims at World Youth Day in Toronto “abortion is a worse moral scandal than priests sexually abusing young people”.
Perhaps Mark Dreyfus knows ALL of the answers re the ‘secret meeting’ between George and George, hence the request for Bookcase Brandis’ diary ? Dreyfus always gets his man..no wonder Brandis is fighting so hard to keep his diary secrets.
I feel this will mean the end of Catholicism in Australia. Disappointed in you Dr Pell. You were supposed to represent Christ in Australia.
There is no excuse, no just cause or reason why this evil man George Pell should have been able to leave the country. For years the Catholic Church worldwide has been seen to be doing the wrong thing in regards to sexual abuse by their clergy. Millions and millions of dollars have been spent by the Catholic church in trying to keep it all quiet……………..and yet I still read that the current Pope is a ‘good person’ and what wonderful things he does !
WAKE UP AUSTRALIA ! these people are EVIL, the sexual abuse of children by persons within the Catholic church is WORLDWIDE.
Lets not just talk about ‘I thought so’ or ‘Pell must have known’ or ‘its obvious what was going on’.
Perhaps some of you should read ‘Vows Of Silence’ by Jason Berry & Gerald Renner…………………..this is so much more than the so called threat of ‘Terrorism’, this is LIES DECEIT and MANIPULATION within our western culture, within our own ranks.
Mary, the only person the paedophile protecting Pell from Hell represents is the Devil himself. This malignant creature is now being accused of predatory child abuse HIMSELF … Pell is an evil, soulless and thoroughly arrogant creature who is totally remorseless about the damage he has personally caused thousands of children and their families! In addition, he is a snivelling coward too scared to come to Australia to face due consequence for his CRIMINAL behaviour. What a truly offensive, sanctimonious hypocrite he is!
“Well cardinal pell, you’re starting to smell”.
Roses smell. Flaming Gum blossoms smell. Waratahs smell.
Hanging carcasses STINK, and until they are burned away, it doesn’t matter what you do with them, how you dress them up, or where you put them, the smell never goes.
May you rot in Hell forever georgie, you weak cowardly chickenshit lying bastard.
What a shame when ORDINARY but “ordained “men think they are not only the mouthpiece of God- but his penis too.
Pray the tide is turning for scum like Pell
Anyone suggesting that there is a part of your life that has time for lazy running the AIMN, is a troll and should be dealt with as such.
Perhaps hit with a bridge built with Chinese steel, purchased under the TPP.
Or have their children auctioned off to the LNP to support the work of George Pell and his be-frocked chums.
So now it’s Pell who begins to smell.
We will not have a bit of it,
We think that it’s the smell of ….!