Ex-Vatican treasurer Pell loses appeal against sex abuse convictions, to stay in jail

[webfact]

Ex-Vatican treasurer Pell loses appeal against sex abuse convictions, to stay in jail

 

George Pell arrives at the Supreme Court of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, August 21, 2019. AAP Images/Erik Anderson via REUTERS

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell lost an appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys and will remain in prison for at least another three years, a court ruled on Wednesday.

 

Pell, the highest ranking Catholic worldwide to be convicted of child sex offences, was sentenced in March to six years in jail after being found guilty on five charges of abusing the two boys at St Patrick's Cathedral while he was Archbishop of Melbourne in the late 1990s.

 

Pell appealed his conviction to Victoria's Court of Appeal on three grounds, but mainly on the argument that the jury's verdict was unreasonable based on the evidence at the trial.

 

"Having reviewed the whole of the evidence, two of the judges of the court of appeal ... have decided that it was open to the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Cardinal Pell was guilty of the offences charged," Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said, reading out a summary of the court's decision.

 

Pell had also appealed on the grounds that the trial judge was wrong to have blocked the defence from showing a video animation to back up its closing argument and that Pell should have entered his plea while in front of potential jurors rather than by a video link in the court house.

 

The three appeal judges decided to only grant leave to hear the first ground of appeal, that the jury verdict was unreasonable, and that was then dismissed on a 2-1 verdict.

 

Under the terms of his sentencing, Pell will be eligible for parole in October 2022, when he will be 81.

 

(Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Michael Perry and Paul Tait)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-08-21

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[tifino]

Celebrity big brother fails to get voted out of the big house 

[Cadbury]

This catholic kiddie fiddler and the Pope's treasurer has been a long time getting his comeuppance. 

[Somtamnication]

Good. Cancel his lifetime subscription to Altar Boy magazine and lock him up and throw away the key!

[DoctorG]

He will probably take up the option to appeal to the High Court of Australia.

[wombat]

hasn't the vatican chucked him out yet ?
in the Oz press he is still being called by his Catholic church rank?...why is this so ?
he is a convicted pedo.

[worgeordie]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Former Vatican treasurer

Bet he was fiddling the books,as well as little kids,keep him locked up.

regards worgeordie

[Baerboxer]

8 hours ago, wombat said:

hasn't the vatican chucked him out yet ?
in the Oz press he is still being called by his Catholic church rank?...why is this so ?
he is a convicted pedo.

 

Maybe because the are so many other pedophiles and perverts in the Catholic Church yet to be caught. They can't chuck the ones caught out as they might then spill the beans on all they know. 

[the guest]

Why are all the kiddie fiddlers in the majority of cases catholic ?

[simple1]

15 hours ago, wombat said:

hasn't the vatican chucked him out yet ?
in the Oz press he is still being called by his Catholic church rank?...why is this so ?
he is a convicted pedo.

Vatican spokesperson pointed out Pell may appeal to the High Court, so the legal process is yet to be finalised. 

[wendyfromoz]

21 hours ago, wombat said:

hasn't the vatican chucked him out yet ?
in the Oz press he is still being called by his Catholic church rank?...why is this so ?
he is a convicted pedo.

No.  It appears he will now appeal to the High Court.  The Vatican wont strip him untill due process is completely exhausted. 

[wendyfromoz]

10 hours ago, the guest said:

Why are all the kiddie fiddlers in the majority of cases catholic ?

are they or are you just assuming. Out of the thousands charged every year just how many were catholics and how many budhists

[bristolboy]

11 hours ago, the guest said:

Why are all the kiddie fiddlers in the majority of cases catholic ?

For one thing, the Catholic religion has highly organized, hierarchical structure. So a trail of evidence is more likely to be found. 

[thasoss]

4 minutes ago, wendyfromoz said:

are they or are you just assuming. Out of the thousands charged every year just how many were catholics and how many budhists

pedophilia is a worldwide sickness, has been since time began.You'd have thought big pharma(so good at producing opiod's and anti depressants)would have found a pill to kill the pedo desire...surely money to be made here!

[bristolboy]

10 minutes ago, thasoss said:

pedophilia is a worldwide sickness, has been since time began.You'd have thought big pharma(so good at producing opiod's and anti depressants)would have found a pill to kill the pedo desire...surely money to be made here!

Given the current state of psychopharmacology, I don't think that many of us would have thought that.

[Old Croc]

11 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

For one thing, the Catholic religion has highly organized, hierarchical structure. So a trail of evidence is more likely to be found. 

I think the cruel and archaic practice of clerical celibacy is the main reason Catholics (and Buddhists) turn to the young attendants they all seem to have, for physical contact.

[bristolboy]

6 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I think the cruel and archaic practice of clerical celibacy is the main reason Catholics (and Buddhists) turn to the young attendants they all seem to have, for physical contact.

Well, the specific issue is pedophilia. Since in most nations, if not all,  that's outlawed. I don't see celibacy as being the primary factor. At least not if you are going to include their co-religionists who are not members of the clergy.

[thasoss]

23 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I think the cruel and archaic practice of clerical celibacy is the main reason Catholics (and Buddhists) turn to the young attendants they all seem to have, for physical contact.

yes good point although it could be said the celibacy is what attracts men to these institutions "men seeking men and young boys"

[JamesBlond]

3 hours ago, thasoss said:

pedophilia is a worldwide sickness, has been since time began.You'd have thought big pharma(so good at producing opiod's and anti depressants)would have found a pill to kill the pedo desire...surely money to be made here!

Has it occurred to you that, seeing it has been around 'since time began', there is probably a biological/evolutionary reason for it (albeit now overtaken by human sophisication), just as there are biological/evolutionary reasons for homosexuality and that people once also thought the latter was a sickness?