Cardinal George Pell to Face Police Questioning in Rome over Historic Child Sex Abuse Claims

By Rachel Eddie
Daily Mail
August 17, 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3744441/Police-fly-Rome-interview-Cardinal-George-Pell-historic-sexual-abuse-claims.html

Police are likely fly to Rome to investigate allegations of historical child sex abuse against Cardinal George Pell.

Police on Wednesday said they are considering whether to lay charges over alleged historical sexual assaults.

The allegations date back to between 1976 and 1980 in Ballarat East, Victoria, and between 1996 and 2001 in East Melbourne.

Two men accused Cardinal Pell of groping their genitals at a pool in the 1970s, while another says he saw the priest expose himself to young boys.

Victoria Police may fly to Rome to investigate allegations of historical child sex abuse against Cardinal George Pell (pictured)

Cardinal Pell has previously given evidence to the royal commission into institutional responses to allegations of child sex abuse

The cardinal has denied all allegations.

Victoria Police declined to confirm whether investigators would fly to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell or interview him via video link.

However it is understood police will almost certainly seek to interview him, Brisbane Times reported.

Department of Public Prosecutions has advised police on the historic allegations, Victoria Police said.

Assistant commissioner Steve Fontana is reportedly assessing the claims.

Taskforce Sano - which was established to investigate historical and new allegations of institutional sexual abuse - spent a year investigating the allegations against Cardinal Pell, the Herald Sun revealed in February.

He was allowed to provide testimony via video link and concluded his evidence on March 3.

Assistant commissioner Steve Fontana (left) is reportedly assessing the claims against Cardinal Pell (right)

Assistant commissioner Steve Fontana (left) is reportedly assessing the claims against Cardinal Pell (right)

After details of the police investigation were leaked to media, Cardinal Pell formally requested the Victorian government start an inquiry.

Victoria Police denied they were behind the leak and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has been tasked with uncovering the source.

In February, investigators revealed they wanted to fly to Vatican City to interview Cardinal Pell, but needed to wait for senior figures to 'give them the go-ahead'.

Cardinal Pell has previously given evidence to the royal commission into institutional responses to allegations of child sex abuse.

The 74-year-old had submitted a two-page medical report in February which stated a flight to Australia to give evidence would severely impact his health and would possibly lead to 'heart failure'.

He was allowed to provide testimony via video link and concluded his evidence on March 3.

The allegations date back to between 1976 and 1980 in Ballarat East, Victoria, and between 1996 and 2001 in East Melbourne