Fears for Trial Fairness If George Pell Faced Charges

By Rebecca Urban
The Australian
May 19, 2017

https://goo.gl/X4x6NG

Cardinal George Pell and his alleged victims should know within weeks if police will lay charges over historical child-sex-abuse allegations, as concerns mount about whether a fair trial would be possible.

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton yesterday said a decision would be made quickly. However, the assurance of a deadline is understood to have been met with scepticism by church officials, given the matter has gone back and forth between police and prosecutors for more than a year.

Combined with the long-running Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which has probed allegations of child sex abuse by some Catholic priests and others, claims against Cardinal Pell that date back about 40 years have been the subject of extensive media attention and public scrutiny. Interest culminated this week with the high-profile release of a book about him.

The Law Council of Victoria has raised concerns about publicity and whether it has jeopardised Cardinal Pell’s chance of receiving a fair trial should he face an Australian court.

Cardinal Pell has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.