Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty of sexual offences in Australia, making him the highest-ranking Catholic figure to receive such a conviction. Pell abused two choir boys in the rooms of a Melbourne cathedral in 1996, a jury found. He had pleaded not guilty. The verdict was handed down in December, but it could not be reported until now due to legal reasons.
As Vatican treasurer, the 77-year-old George Pell was one of the Church’s most powerful officials. His trial was heard twice last year because a first jury failed to reach a verdict. A second jury unanimously convicted him of one charge of sexually penetrating a child under 16, and four counts of committing an indecent act on a child under 16.
Pell was swarmed by media and heckled by onlookers as he left a court on Tuesday. The Catholic Church worldwide has in recent years faced a damaging series of allegations relating to sex abuse by priests, and claims that these cases were covered up. This comes one day after pope francis concluded the Vatican conference on child abuse where he promised new policies to curb the vice that is eating up the church.