About The Cleric
The Cleric is the main antagonist of Toy Story That Time Forgot until the very end.
Cardinal George Pell's funeral sees mourners and protesters clash
... But The Cleric left his lofty post in 2017, returning to Australia to face trial on child sex abuse charges...
Cardinal Pell: No state funeral in Victoria due to victim distress
... Mr Andrews also said he was unlikely to attend The Cleric s funeral...
Cardinal Pell's death brings few tears in Australia
... The Cleric also faced criticism as an architect of the Australian Church s first victim compensation scheme...
UK asylum plan defended by Rwandan Anglican archbishop
... The Anglican Church, The Cleric says, is led by one among equals, and that it is time for the African churches to challenge their mother church, not waiting for the Archbishop of Canterbury to tell them what to do...
George Pell: the court conceded cardinal the sexual abuse conviction
... Patrick s Cathedral in the mid-90s - when The Cleric was the Archbishop of Melbourne...
Cardinal George Pell loses appeal against sexual abuse convictions
... The Cleric s lawyers said the jury had relied too heavily on the uncorroborated evidence of the sole surviving victim...
Pakistan's dilemma: What to do about anti-Indian fighters
... But The Cleric said the allegations were untrue and the Koranic school was school, in fact, just an ordinary Islamic...
George Pell: Who is the cardinal convicted of sexual abuse?
... The Cleric made his name as a determined figure who championed traditional Catholic values and conservative views against same-sex marriage, abortion and contraception...
Cardinal George Pell loses appeal against sexual abuse convictions
Cardinal George Pell is escorted from the court after The Verdict on Wednesday
Cardinal George Pell , The Most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of sexual abuse, has failed in a legal bid to quash his convictions in Australia.
Pell was jailed for Six Years in March after being found guilty of abusing two boys in a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s. He maintains his innocence.
A court of appeal rejected Pell's argument that The Verdict was unfair.
The former Vatican treasurer, 78, will now consider a Final Appeal in The Nation 's highest court.
Last December, a jury unanimously convicted Pell of sexually abusing the 13-year-old boys at St Patrick's Cathedral.
Pell challenged The Verdict by arguing it was "unreasonable" because there was insufficient evidence to convict him beyond a Reasonable Doubt .
The Cleric 's lawyers said The Jury had relied too heavily on the "uncorroborated evidence" of the sole surviving victim. But his appeal was dismissed 2-1 by a panel of three judges in Victoria's Court of Appeal on Wednesday.
"Justice [Chris] Maxwell and I accepted The Prosecution 's submission that the complainant was a compelling witness, was clearly not a liar, was not a fantasist and was A Witness of truth," said Chief Justice Anne Ferguson .
Pell's conviction has rocked the Catholic Church , where he had been one of the Pope's closest advisers. The Australian cleric will be eligible for parole in October 2022.
What did The Trial hear?Pell was archbishop of Melbourne in 1996 When he found the two boys on cathedral premises and sexually assaulted them. He abused one of The Boys again in 1997.
The Trial heard testimony from one of The Victims . The Other died of a drug overdose in 2014.
A jury rejected the defence argument that the allegations were fantasies. It convicted Pell of one charge of sexually penetrating a child, and four counts of committing an indecent act on a child.
, When additional charges of sexual offences against Pell were withdrawn by prosecutors.
What did the court of appeal say?The two judges who upheld The Conviction said that they "did not experience a doubt" about The Verdict .
"We note that Cardinal Pell did not have to prove anything in The Trial . Rather, at all stages of trial, The Burden of proof rested with The Prosecution ," Justice Ferguson said.
Pell was transported by van back to prison after The JudgementPell, who was present for the hearing, had faced the prospect of a retrial or being immediately Set Free if his appeal had been successful.
Pell expressionlessPhil Mercer, Bbc News , Melbourne
It took less than Five Minutes for George Pell to learn his fate. Dressed in black and wearing a clerical collar, The Man who was once in the Pope's Inner Circle was impassive as Justice Ferguson handed down the decision.
Occasionally, he looked down, his gaunt features betraying no emotion. When the news filtered through to campaigners and survivors of abuse outside, there was a loud cheer.
"Pell looks better in green than black," one activist told me, referring to The Cardinal 's prison uniform.
Campaigners accept, however, that Pell's fight for freedom probably isn't over and that a final court challenge could remain.
What's the reaction?Pell's surviving victim, who cannot be named, said he was "grateful for a legal system that everyone can believe in".
"My journey has not been an easy one," he said in a statement read by his lawyer. "It has been all the more stressful because it involved a high-profile Figure . "
Pell's lawyers said he was "disappointed" with the decision and maintained his innocence.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters: "My sympathies are with The Victims of child sexual abuse. Not just on This Day , but on every single day. "
He said Pell was likely to be stripped of his Order of Australia honour.
Will there be another appeal?Pell's lawyers said they would "thoroughly examine" The Judgement to make a possible last-ditch appeal in The High Court of Australia.
However, there is no guarantee that the court will agree to hear the case.
What does The Church say?The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said it accepted the court's decision, but added that it would "be distressing to many people". It reiterated its commitment to tackling abuse.
Cardinal Pell was demoted from the Pope's Inner Circle last year. His five-year term as Vatican treasurer elapsed soon afterwards.
Pope Francis continues to face calls for Pell to be defrocked.
melbourne, roman catholic church, australia, cardinal pell sex abuse case, catholic church sexual abuse cases, victoria
Source of news: bbc.com
