George Pell Child Abuse Allegations under Investigation

By Emily Woods
Newcastle Herald
July 27, 2016

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4058604/pell-allegations-under-investigation/

Police are reportedly investigating child-abuse allegations against Australia's most senior Catholic cleric, Cardinal George Pell, the ABC has reported.

The allegations, previously covered by Fairfax, have now reportedly been referred by Victoria Police to the Office of Public Prosecutions for advice.

Taskforce Sano, which has been investigating complaints coming out of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, has been examining the allegations against Australia's most senior Catholic cleric.

The ABC's 7.30 program has revealed the taskforce has been examining allegations from complainants in Ballarat, Torquay and Melbourne for more than a year, and is looking into incidents that allegedly happened during Cardinal Pell's time as Archbishop of Melbourne in the 1990s.

The program understands that the case against Cardinal Pell has been referred by Victoria Police to the Office of Public Prosecutions for advice.

The program has obtained eight police statements from complainants, witnesses and family members who are helping the taskforce with its investigation.

In a statement to the ABC, Cardinal Pell's office said he "emphatically and unequivocally rejects any allegations of sexual abuse against him".