FROM ALLEGATIONS TO APPEAL: A TIMELINE OF THE GEORGE PELL CASE
1996
- Pell appointed Archbishop of Melbourne by Pope John Paul II
- Pell sexually abuses two 13-year-old choirboys after a Sunday solemn mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, according to a later jury finding
- A second indecent act is committed by Pell against one of the choirboys in a corridor at the cathedral, the same jury found.
2001-2014
- *Pell served as Archbishop of Sydney, 2001-2014
- He is made a cardinal in 2003
2016
- The Herald-Sun reports Pell is being investigated by Victoria Police’s Sano taskforce for “multiple offences” committed while he was a priest in Ballarat in the 1970s and Archbishop of Melbourne
- Pell says the allegations are “without foundation and utterly false”
- Under Vatican rules, Pell gives Pope Francis his resignation on his 75th birthday, as is customary. It is not accepted
- Victoria Police officers travel to Rome to interview Pell over the abuse claims. He voluntarily participates in the interview.
2017
JUNE 2017
- Pell is charged with multiple counts of historical child sexual offences
- He denies the charges and vows to clear his name
- Pell takes leave from his Vatican finance chief role to fight the charges
JULY 2017
- Pell returns to Australia
- He hires top barrister Robert Richter QC
- Supporters set up a fund to help Pell fight the charges
2018
MARCH 2018
- Prosecutors drop one of the charges against Pell
- A month-long committal hearing begins to determine if Pell will face trial
- Prosecutors withdraw more charges
- Mr Richter claims police conducted a “get Pell operation” and accuses Melbourne magistrate Belinda Wallington of bias. She refuses to disqualify herself from the case
MAY 2018
- Ms Wallington orders Pell stand trial on some charges but throws out others
- Pell formally pleads “not guilty”
- Two trials are ordered, separating the 1970s and 1990s allegations
AUGUST 2018
- The 1990s “cathedral trial” begins in the Victorian County Court in Melbourne
- Pell pleads not guilty again to one charge of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and four of indecent acts with a child, over incidents involving two 13-year-old choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996
SEPTEMBER 2018
- The jury is discharged, unable to reach a verdict following a week of deliberation. Some jurors weep
NOVEMBER 2018
- A retrial begins. The jury members aren’t told of the previous hung jury
DECEMBER 2018
- Pell is found guilty on all charges by an unanimous jury
- Mr Richter says Pell will appeal
- Suppression orders prevent Australian media reporting the verdict but it spreads through international media within hours
2019
FEBRUARY 2019
- Hearings begin ahead of the second trial. Prosecutors drop another charge
- An appeal is filed against the cathedral trial conviction
- A County Court judge deems vital evidence inadmissible
- Prosecutors withdraw all remaining charges against Pell and drop a second trial over allegations Pell indecently assaulted boys in Ballarat in the 1970s when he was a parish priest
- Pell is taken into custody on February 27 as the plea hearing begins
MARCH 2019
- Pell is sentenced by County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd to a maximum of six years in prison. He must serve at least three years and eight months in jail before being eligible for parole. He will be a registered sex offender for life
JUNE 2019
- Court of Appeal considers Pell’s application to challenge his conviction on June 5 and 6
AUGUST 2019
- Court of Appeal rejects Pell’s appeal in a 2-1 decision, meaning he will remain behind bars
SEPTEMBER 2019
- Pell lodges a special leave to appeal application with the High Court
NOVEMBER 2019
- Two High Court judges refer Pell’s application to the full court to hear appeal arguments
MARCH 2020
- Full bench of the High Court hears Pell’s appeal arguments
APRIL 2020
- High Court hands down its judgment on Pell’s final appeal bid
The post Timeline of Pell’s child sexual abuse case appeared first on The New Daily.
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