Home FEATURES Pope Francis Close Aide, Cardinal George Pell, Faces Sex Charges In Court

Pope Francis Close Aide, Cardinal George Pell, Faces Sex Charges In Court

Pell Pope aide

The 76 top adviser to Pope Francis and Vatican Treasurer, Cardinal George Pell is facing a Magistrate’s court cases which police described as “historical sexual offences.’

Cardinal George Pell, who is the most Senior Roman Catholic Official to face such accusations, did not speak as he was escorted to and from Melbourne Magistrates’ Court by police through a group of media, protesters and supporters. He was not required to enter a plea.

Australian police said that in June this year, Cardinal Pell was summoned to appear on charges of “historical sexual offences’’ from multiple complainants.

Details of the charges have not been made public.

Cardinal Pell’s lawyers have said at a previous hearing that he would plead not guilty to all charges. He is not required to enter a formal plea until a magistrate determines whether there is cause for a full trial.

At a 20-minute hearing, the magistrate said that the matter should return on March 5 for a committal hearing to determine whether it should proceed to a full trial.

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The magistrate set aside four weeks for the committal hearing.

Cardinal Pell is on a leave of absence from his Vatican role as Pope Francis’ economy minister, which he started in 2014.

The pontiff has said he would not comment on the case until it is over.

Sources: Reuters, NAN. [myad]