Pell Seeks Access to Court File on Paedophile

By Steve Butcher
The Age
November 15, 2012

http://www.theage.com.au/national/pell-seeks-access-to-court-file-on-paedophile-20121114-29cqb.html

Robert Charles Best.

LAWYERS acting for Cardinal George Pell have applied to a Melbourne judge to inspect a court file from a trial of convicted paedophile and Catholic brother Robert Charles Best.

It is believed the material sought includes a transcript of evidence by one of Best's victims who has recently alleged Cardinal Pell was present when the boy complained of being raped by Best.

Cardinal Pell has described the victim's claim as ''irresponsible, untrue'' and said that they were ''absolutely denied''.

The Archbishop of Sydney has said he was not in Ballarat in 1969 when the boy was raped and was not appointed to the diocese until 1973.

It is believed that the victim, during his trial evidence, did not raise the allegation about Cardinal Pell and that he was unsure who had been there.

The allegation was made last month by lawyer Vivian Waller, who acts for more than 70 victims of abuse by Christian Brothers.

It was included in Dr Waller's submission to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry investigating how churches dealt with sex abuse.

A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Sydney confirmed that Cardinal Pell had applied for access to the court file in relation to Best.

''Allegations relating to a victim of Mr Best were raised by Dr Waller in her submission to the Victorian inquiry and in a number of media interviews. Cardinal Pell was not present in Australia at the time that Dr Waller's comments suggest that he was,'' she said.

Last month, Dr Waller replied to the cardinal, saying she had not given a date when the victim told the priest his story - so the cardinal could not know where he had been at the time.