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| 'I was angry inside': being at George Pell sentencing was hard, father of victim says | 'I was angry inside': being at George Pell sentencing was hard, father of victim says |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The father of one of Cardinal George Pell’s victims, who died following a heroin overdose in 2014 and who never disclosed being abused, said he wanted to “hug” the man whose powerful testimony brought Pell to justice. | The father of one of Cardinal George Pell’s victims, who died following a heroin overdose in 2014 and who never disclosed being abused, said he wanted to “hug” the man whose powerful testimony brought Pell to justice. |
| On Wednesday Pell was sentenced by chief judge Peter Kidd to six years in jail with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. The complainant, identified only as J, first told police in 2015 about the abuse of himself and the other boy. It resulted in a trial in which Pell was unanimously found guilty by a jury of five child sexual abuse charges. The other boy was identified only as R. Both boys were 13 when Pell abused them while they were choirboys in 1996. | On Wednesday Pell was sentenced by chief judge Peter Kidd to six years in jail with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. The complainant, identified only as J, first told police in 2015 about the abuse of himself and the other boy. It resulted in a trial in which Pell was unanimously found guilty by a jury of five child sexual abuse charges. The other boy was identified only as R. Both boys were 13 when Pell abused them while they were choirboys in 1996. |
| George Pell's jailing defies the might of Rome but his fall is too appalling for celebration | David Marr | George Pell's jailing defies the might of Rome but his fall is too appalling for celebration | David Marr |
| “Listening to the judge in there was hard,” R’s father said following the sentencing, which was broadcast live around the world. “I was angry inside. I felt like my son’s life was wasted. Why was it wasted for some guy’s two minutes of pleasure? It’s not easy to describe, it’s not even easy to even stand here and talk. It’s stuff that destroys families, it destroys people.” | “Listening to the judge in there was hard,” R’s father said following the sentencing, which was broadcast live around the world. “I was angry inside. I felt like my son’s life was wasted. Why was it wasted for some guy’s two minutes of pleasure? It’s not easy to describe, it’s not even easy to even stand here and talk. It’s stuff that destroys families, it destroys people.” |
| Blue Knot Foundation – 1300 657 380 Support for survivors of childhood trauma. | Blue Knot Foundation – 1300 657 380 Support for survivors of childhood trauma. |
| Bravehearts Inc – 1800 272 831Counselling and support for survivors, child protection advocacy. | Bravehearts Inc – 1800 272 831Counselling and support for survivors, child protection advocacy. |
| 1800 Respect – 1800 737 732 24-hour telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been affected by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence. | 1800 Respect – 1800 737 732 24-hour telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been affected by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence. |
| Lifeline – 13 11 14 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention. | Lifeline – 13 11 14 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention. |
| Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 Free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people. | Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 Free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people. |
| Care Leavers Australasia Network – 1800 008 774Support and advocacy for people brought up in care homes. | Care Leavers Australasia Network – 1800 008 774Support and advocacy for people brought up in care homes. |
| Child Migrants Trust – 1800 040 509Social work services for former child migrants, including counselling and support for family reunions. | Child Migrants Trust – 1800 040 509Social work services for former child migrants, including counselling and support for family reunions. |
| Child Wise – 1800 991 099Trauma informed telephone and online counselling for childhood abuse. Training and organisational capacity-building on child abuse prevention. | Child Wise – 1800 991 099Trauma informed telephone and online counselling for childhood abuse. Training and organisational capacity-building on child abuse prevention. |
| • For a list of support services by state, visit the information page of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. | • For a list of support services by state, visit the information page of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. |
| He described R as “a typical boy” when he was a child. “He got into mischief. He was honest. He liked helping his grandparents. He’d always disappear and I’d ring up my mum and she’d say, ‘Oh yeah he’s been here for the last two hours helping me cook’.” | He described R as “a typical boy” when he was a child. “He got into mischief. He was honest. He liked helping his grandparents. He’d always disappear and I’d ring up my mum and she’d say, ‘Oh yeah he’s been here for the last two hours helping me cook’.” |
| He described sitting in the court and listening to the sentence as “extremely difficult”.“I watched him [Pell] being walking out of that court and I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’m going to sleep in my bed tonight. Where are you sleeping?’.” But, he said, “It’s not going to bring my son back.” | He described sitting in the court and listening to the sentence as “extremely difficult”.“I watched him [Pell] being walking out of that court and I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’m going to sleep in my bed tonight. Where are you sleeping?’.” But, he said, “It’s not going to bring my son back.” |
| He remembered going to AFL games with his son, always sitting in the members’ area, and said his son would go and buy bottles of water for the elderly women, Carlton supporters, who sat behind them. | He remembered going to AFL games with his son, always sitting in the members’ area, and said his son would go and buy bottles of water for the elderly women, Carlton supporters, who sat behind them. |
| Pell is born in the Victorian town of Ballarat. | Pell is born in the Victorian town of Ballarat. |
| Pell returns as a parish priest to Ballarat, where abuse is widespread. | Pell returns as a parish priest to Ballarat, where abuse is widespread. |
| Pell lives with the paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale. | Pell lives with the paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale. |
| Pell supports Ridsdale at a court appearance for child sex offences. Ridsdale is eventually convicted of abusing more than 60 children. | Pell supports Ridsdale at a court appearance for child sex offences. Ridsdale is eventually convicted of abusing more than 60 children. |
| Pell is appointed archbishop of Melbourne. He introduces the Melbourne Response, which offers counselling to victims of sexual abuse but caps compensation payments. | Pell is appointed archbishop of Melbourne. He introduces the Melbourne Response, which offers counselling to victims of sexual abuse but caps compensation payments. |
| Pell is appointed archbishop of Sydney. | Pell is appointed archbishop of Sydney. |
| Pope John Paul II appoints Pell a cardinal. | Pope John Paul II appoints Pell a cardinal. |
| The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, announces the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. | The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, announces the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. |
| Pell is appointed the prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, effectively the Vatican’s treasurer. | Pell is appointed the prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, effectively the Vatican’s treasurer. |
| Pell appears before the royal commission for the first time. | Pell appears before the royal commission for the first time. |
| Pell appears again in Melbourne, where he likens the church’s responsibility for child abuse to that of a “trucking company” whose driver had sexually assaulted a hitch-hiker. | Pell appears again in Melbourne, where he likens the church’s responsibility for child abuse to that of a “trucking company” whose driver had sexually assaulted a hitch-hiker. |
| Pell gives evidence to the royal commission via videolink from Rome. He denies he had any knowledge at the time of Ridsdale's offending. He says once he did find out, it was a “sad story” but “not of much interest” to him. | Pell gives evidence to the royal commission via videolink from Rome. He denies he had any knowledge at the time of Ridsdale's offending. He says once he did find out, it was a “sad story” but “not of much interest” to him. |
| Australian detectives interview Pell in Rome about child sexual abuse allegations. Pell dismisses them as “absolute and disgraceful rubbish”. | Australian detectives interview Pell in Rome about child sexual abuse allegations. Pell dismisses them as “absolute and disgraceful rubbish”. |
| Pell is charged with multiple sexual offences. | Pell is charged with multiple sexual offences. |
| Pell is ordered to stand trial over multiple allegations. The details may not be reported at this time for legal reasons. Pell says he will plead not guilty. The charges are to be split into two trials. The first relates to allegations that Pell sexually abused two choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996 and 1997. The second relates to allegations Pell molested boys at the Ballarat swimming pool in the 1970s. | Pell is ordered to stand trial over multiple allegations. The details may not be reported at this time for legal reasons. Pell says he will plead not guilty. The charges are to be split into two trials. The first relates to allegations that Pell sexually abused two choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996 and 1997. The second relates to allegations Pell molested boys at the Ballarat swimming pool in the 1970s. |
| Prosecutors request a suppression order, later approved, which bars reporting of the trials. | Prosecutors request a suppression order, later approved, which bars reporting of the trials. |
| The jury in the first trial fails to reach a verdict. A mistrial is declared. | The jury in the first trial fails to reach a verdict. A mistrial is declared. |
| The jury in the retrial finds Pell guilty on all charges. | The jury in the retrial finds Pell guilty on all charges. |
| Prosecutors drop the swimming pool charges after the judge rules certain evidence is inadmissible. The suppression order on the first trial is lifted. | Prosecutors drop the swimming pool charges after the judge rules certain evidence is inadmissible. The suppression order on the first trial is lifted. |
| Chief judge calls Pell’s crimes ‘breathtakingly arrogant’ as he sentences Pell to six years in jail, with non-parole period of three years and eight months | |
| “Every week they’d come along with containers of lollies and cakes and things and there would always be a cake there for my son,” he said. | “Every week they’d come along with containers of lollies and cakes and things and there would always be a cake there for my son,” he said. |
| R died in 2014 at the age of 30 of an accidental overdose. By then he had been suffering from drug addiction and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. | R died in 2014 at the age of 30 of an accidental overdose. By then he had been suffering from drug addiction and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. |
| R’s father said his son’s suffering and spiral into addiction now made sense. He will launch a civil case against the church led by Shine Lawyers. | R’s father said his son’s suffering and spiral into addiction now made sense. He will launch a civil case against the church led by Shine Lawyers. |
| Shine’s national abuse law manager, Lisa Flynn, said: “For many, the battle against the Catholic church has just begun. | Shine’s national abuse law manager, Lisa Flynn, said: “For many, the battle against the Catholic church has just begun. |
| The Kid and The Choirboy – the harrowing story of George Pell's victims | The Kid and The Choirboy – the harrowing story of George Pell's victims |
| “I admire the courage of my client to keep fighting on behalf of his deceased son. To him, this battle is not over.” | “I admire the courage of my client to keep fighting on behalf of his deceased son. To him, this battle is not over.” |
| J made a statement which was read by his lawyer, Viv Waller, outside the county court following the sentence. J has remained anonymous throughout the process of complaining to police and testifying to the court. His evidence was described by those who saw it as eloquent, honest and powerful. | J made a statement which was read by his lawyer, Viv Waller, outside the county court following the sentence. J has remained anonymous throughout the process of complaining to police and testifying to the court. His evidence was described by those who saw it as eloquent, honest and powerful. |
| “I respect what the judge said. It was meticulous and it was considered. It is hard for me to allow myself to feel the gravity of this moment,” J said. | “I respect what the judge said. It was meticulous and it was considered. It is hard for me to allow myself to feel the gravity of this moment,” J said. |
| “I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However, there is no rest for me. Everything is overshadowed by the forthcoming appeal. | “I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However, there is no rest for me. Everything is overshadowed by the forthcoming appeal. |
| “I am aware of a lot of public comment by people who are critical of my evidence. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, a few facts will always remain. I gave evidence for several days. I was cross-examined by Pell’s defence counsel. A jury has unanimously accepted the truth of my evidence. I have played my part as best I can. I took the difficult step of reporting to police about a high-profile person, and I stood up to give my evidence.” | “I am aware of a lot of public comment by people who are critical of my evidence. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, a few facts will always remain. I gave evidence for several days. I was cross-examined by Pell’s defence counsel. A jury has unanimously accepted the truth of my evidence. I have played my part as best I can. I took the difficult step of reporting to police about a high-profile person, and I stood up to give my evidence.” |
| A decision as to whether Pell’s case will be eligible for appeal will be made in June. | A decision as to whether Pell’s case will be eligible for appeal will be made in June. |
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