The prosecutors want court to immediately jail the Convicted Australian Cardinal George Pell for showing no remorse for sex crimes.
Once among Pope Francis’ closest advisors and the most senior Catholic cleric ever found guilty of child sex crimes, Pell was harangued by angry protesters who called him a “maggot” and a “monster” as he arrived at a Melbourne court for a pre-sentencing hearing a day after his conviction was made public.
The 77-year-old is facing up to 50 years’ jail after being convicted on five counts of sexual and indecent assault of the two choirboys in 1996-97, shortly after he became Archbishop of Melbourne.
Pell is appealing the verdict.
Prosecutors told Wednesday’s pre-sentencing hearing that Pell had “shown no remorse” for his actions.
“He has not taken responsibility for his actions. There remains no explanation for this offending,” Crown Prosecutor Mark Gibson told the County Court of Victoria.
“There has been a breach of trust… Cardinal Pell was the driving force… and in charge of the cathedral, and these choristers were cogs in the cathedral wheel.”
Pell is expected to be remanded in custody following Wednesday’s submissions after his legal team suddenly withdrew an earlier application for bail pending his appeal, a process which could take months.
His barrister Robert Richter argued Pell’s behaviour was not premeditated, and that he had 10 character references from individuals and “none of them believe him capable of this”.
“This is a court of law, not a court of morals,” he told Chief Justice Peter Kidd.