In sentencing, Chief Justice Peter Kidd said George Pell should not be considered a "scapegoat" for broader failings of the Catholic Church.
Updated Updated 13 hours ago
By Maani Truu
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Australian Cardinal George Pell has been sentenced to six years in jail with a non-parole period of three years and eight months for sexually abusing two teenage boys in 1996.
In Melbourne's County court on Wednesday, Chief Judge Peter Kidd handed down the sentence, taking into account Pell's age and health, the severity of the crimes, the relationship of trust between Pell and the victims and the widespread publicity of the case.
Due to Pell's age, Judge Kidd said he imposed a shorter non-parole period than usual "to increase the prospect of you living out the last part of your life in the community."
Cardinal George Pell arrives at the County Court in Melbourne.
Cardinal George Pell arrives at the County Court in Melbourne.
AAP
"You are one of the most senior figures within the Catholic Church globally. You remain a cardinal of the Catholic Church. You are a figure of significant interest to those of the Catholic faith, and to those throughout Australia more generally," Judge Kidd said.
"As I directed the jury who convicted you in this trial, you are not to be made a scapegoat for any failings, or perceived failings of the Catholic Church."
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Cardinal George Pell arrives at County Court in Melbourne, Wednesday, February 27, 2019.
Cardinal George Pell's fate to be broadcast live to the world
During sentencing, Judge Kidd addressed clerical or institutional sexual abuse survivors in the courtroom and beyond and said the sentencing of Pell was not "vindication" of their trauma.
"Cardinal Pell has not been convicted of any wrongs committed against you," he said.
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The only surviving victim of Cardinal George Pell has said, in a statement, any relief from today's sentencing was overshadowed by the upcoming appeal.
'It is hard for me to allow myself to feel the gravity of this moment': Pell victim
Pell, 77, maintains his innocence and intends to challenge the conviction in the Court of Appeal, which will be heard in June.
The sentencing comes three months after he was convicted of one charge of sexually penetrating a child and four of committing indecent acts with a child, for sexually assaulting two 13-year-old boys after a Sunday mass at Melbourne's St Patrick's Church in December 1996 and assaulting one of the boys a second time two months later.
Protesters outside the County Court in Melbourne.
Protesters outside the County Court in Melbourne.
AAP
Each offence carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence.
Pell, who was until late-February the Vatican's treasurer, is the highest-ranking Catholic to be convicted of child sexual abuse.
Judge Kidd rejected the defence's argument that the Pell was not acting rationally during the offending, stating the "decision to offend was a reasoned, albeit perverted, one".
"In my view, your conduct was permeated by staggering arrogance," he said, later in the sentencing.
Due to the massive interest in the case, the Chief Judge gave permission for the hearing to be broadcast live.
The courtroom was packed with abuse survivors who have their own interest in the result, beyond that of Pell's surviving victim, now aged in his 30s.
The other boy died in 2014.
Cardinal George Pell and Barrister Robert Richter. The QC has now quit the cardinal's legal team.
Cardinal George Pell and Barrister Robert Richter. The QC has now quit the cardinal's legal team.
AAP
Two victim impact statements, one from the living survivor and another from the second boy's father, were tendered to the court, but neither party wished for them to be read aloud.
Outside the court, a silent protest called for the Catholic church to be held accountable for child sexual assault.
Following sentencing, one protester said "a small dose of justice" had been served.
"And we're happy for that," she said.
"But there's no justice for the ones that committed suicide or died because of the injuries. Or for the ones that still can't tell anyone. Or for my brother."
Cathy Kezelman from the trauma recovery-focused Blue Knot Foundation says the sentence represents the personal struggle for justice of many other abuse survivors and the outcome is likely to be emotional and polarising. _________________ A la guerre comme a la guerre èëè âòîðàÿ ðåäàêöèÿ Çàáóãîðíîâà
The only surviving victim of Cardinal George Pell has said, in a statement, any relief from today's sentencing was overshadowed by the upcoming appeal.
Updated Updated 15 hours ago
By Maani Truu
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The only living victim of George Pell said on Wednesday that the judge's decision was "meticulous" and "considered" after the disgraced cardinal was sentenced to six years in jail for sexually abusing him and another teenage boy in 1996.
"It is hard for me to allow myself to feel the gravity of this moment. The moment when the sentence is handed down, the moment when justice is done," the victim, who does not wish to be identified, said in a statement read out by his lawyer, Dr Vivian Waller.
"I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However, there is no rest for me."
Media statement.
Media statement.
Twitter
He added that the sentencing had been overshadowed by the upcoming appeal, which will be heard in the Court of Appeal in June.
"Regardless of the outcome of the appeal - a few facts will always remain," he said.
"I gave evidence for several days. I was cross-examined by Pell's defence counsel. A jury has unanimously accepted the truth of my evidence. Pell chose not to give evidence. The jury did not hear from him. He did not allow himself to be cross-examined."
Pell was sentenced at Melbourne's county court by Chief Judge Peter Kidd to six years in jail with a non-parole period of three years and eight months for one charge of sexually penetrating a child and four of committing indecent acts with a child.
Pell, who is the highest-ranking Catholic to be convicted of child sex offences, has continually maintained his innocence.
Protesters outside the County Court in Melbourne.
Protesters outside the County Court in Melbourne.
AAP
Survivor and member of No More, an organisation that provides free legal advice to abuse survivors, Peter Gogarty said he was "disappointed but not surprised" by the sentence.
"I didn't think that Cardinal Pell would get a particularly long sentence," he said, in an interview with ABC News.
"On the other side of this story, there is a young man, one who lost his life to a drug addiction and another one for whom the torment will never go away."
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'Staggering arrogance': George Pell jailed for sexually abusing two choirboys
He added that the sentence would remind survivors of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church that "nobody is beyond the reach of our criminal justice system".
"It does not matter how powerful or how influential, if there is evidence that you've done something wrong, you will be caught and I think that's a really important message for survivors today."
Child sex assault survivor and campaigner Peter Gogarty.
Child sex assault survivor and campaigner Peter Gogarty.
SBS News
President of the trauma recovery-focused Blue Knot Foundation Dr Cathy Kezelman AM issued a similar statement: “Seeing a senior figure in the Catholic Church, previously one of the Pope’s right hand men, convicted, shows survivors that there is hope, and there can be justice."
"Although this is a significant sentence, it is not as much as what we would’ve hoped," she said.
“We must remember that victims are sentenced for life. He was not."
Prominent clerical sexual abuse campaigner Chrissie Foster said the sentence was "reasonable".
"I'm hoping what Judge Kidd did in the courtroom ... was exactly right. I think he was very particular," she said.
Two of Ms Foster’s daughters were repeatedly raped by a priest at their Catholic primary school in suburban Melbourne.
Chrissie Foster
Two of Chrissie Foster’s daughters were raped by a Catholic priest.
SBS News
"It just seems so amazing that it has all gone through and this has been the result."
Outside the court, protesters gathered to demand accountability from the Catholic Church but said "a small dose of justice" had been served.
Meanwhile, supporters of Pell compared the sentence to the Lindy Chamberlain case.
"I think that things will come out later," one supporter, who said she knew Pell for 30 years when she was a child, said.
Dr Waller said her client did not wish to make further comment and thanked the media for maintaining his anonymity. _________________ A la guerre comme a la guerre èëè âòîðàÿ ðåäàêöèÿ Çàáóãîðíîâà
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