Commission heads to Pell's home town

By Dan Box
Australian
March 13, 2014

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/commission-heads-to-pells-home-town/story-fngburq5-1226852972341#

THE royal commission will meet privately with victims of child sexual abuse in Ballarat next week, just days before Cardinal George Pell is expected to give public evidence in Sydney.

The decision means the commission will be investigating alleged abuse in the Victorian city where the former Archbishop of Sydney was born and began his career, working alongside a number of pedophile priests.

Cardinal Pell has repeatedly denied any knowledge of these priests' criminal activities at the time, and said he was mistaken to accompany one serial abuser, Gerald Ridsdale, to court in 1993, where Ridsdale was ultimately convicted of child abuse.

The private meetings with about 10 victims and a wider community forum follow other informal interviews in Ballarat two weeks ago.