Pell to stand trial after significant day in court
It’s been a critical day in the Pell case. He was committed to stand trial in the county court on multiple charges involving multiple complainants, but also managed to have many other allegations, including the most serious, thrown out.
Pell for the first time entered formal pleas of not guilty to the remaining charges.
My colleague Melissa Davey has written a more comprehensive report on today’s judgment. She will continue to follow the case as it progresses towards a trial.
What next? We’re still a while away from a trial. But Pell will go to the county court for the first time tomorrow for a directions hearing on the remaining charges. Directions hearings are generally administrative in nature.
We’re going to wind down the live blog for now.
Thanks for sticking with me, and for your patience as we navigated the legal complexities of live reporting on the committal.
Until next time.
Cardinal George Pell leaves @MagCourtVic committed to stand trial on charges of historical sex offences. He will return to the County Court tomorrow for a directions hearing @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/B6TPCzbmgO
— Jayde Vincent (@JaydeVincent) May 1, 2018
Pell leaves court
Cardinal George Pell has left the Melbourne magistrates court after his committal. He was flanked by his lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, and police.
Protesters shouted at Pell as he was escorted away. One yelled: “Hip, hip, hooray.”
There #Pell goes. It’s over - for now. @knausc My story will be up on @GuardianAus in a bit. pic.twitter.com/bczDRMDpse
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) May 1, 2018
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There’s still a crowd outside the Melbourne magistrates court, comprising media, police and protesters.
They are all still waiting for Pell to emerge from the court. We can expect more chaotic scenes when he does.
A woman is now screaming outside of the court “NO MORE SILENCE”. #Pell
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) May 1, 2018
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While we take a breath, it’s worth rereading this summary of the four-week committal hearing. Much of the evidence was heard in closed court, preventing media access, but the parts that were open were illuminating. Melissa Davey writes:
Pell sat each day in courtroom 22 on level five of Melbourne magistrates court in the same seat, head bowed, sometimes taking notes, always dressed in the same outfit; black pants, black shirt and a beige jacket. His friend and director of communications for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Katrina Lee, sat in the court with him most days, one row behind him, one seat to his left. Occasionally, Pell looked up at the witnesses. Apart from being softly asked the occasional question by Richter – who is a progressive atheist – or accepting well wishes from supporters before court began each day, Pell was largely silent.
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Pell very clearly stated he will plead “not guilty” to those charges he will stand trial on. Half of the charges have been thrown out including the most serious charges (the nature of which I can not report for legal reasons).
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) May 1, 2018
The committal hearing is now closed and court attendees broke into applause once the magistrate, Belinda Wallington, dismissed the court. He has been committed on multiple charges. More than half were thrown out.
The trial will first be heard on 2 May at 9am for a directions hearing, which is purely to go over administrative matters. Pell’s plea has been entered as not guilty. The trial will go for many months.
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Pell’s bail is being set and the court has heard he has agreed he will not leave the country. But Richter says: “There may be an overseas visitor who comes and arrives who the cardinal may see.”
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Robert Richter QC has told the court he wants it known that the most serious charges against Pell have been thrown out.
He has also indicated he may push for separate trials against Pell, given the nature of the remaining charges.
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Magistrate concludes committal judgment
Wallington has now finished delivering her judgment. A large number of charges have been thrown out, including the most serious.
But roughly a third of the charges against Pell will proceed to trial. He today pleaded not guilty to all of the remaining allegations.
That’s the first time Pell has formally entered pleas to the charges.
Pell formally pleads 'not guilty'
Cardinal George Pell has just been committed to face trial on a batch of charges.
The magistrate tells him he can plead not guilty or guilty at any point.
Pell tells the court he is not guilty. He has long denied the charges but has now formally entered the pleas.
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We’ve just received some vision of Pell arriving at court. The cries of protesters are clearly audible as he makes his way into the court building, escorted by police.
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As Wallington continues to deliver her decision, just a reminder that the complexities of this case make some details difficult to report.
Further description of the charges cannot be given for legal reasons.
But what we know so far is:
- Pell will face trial on multiple charges relating to multiple complainants.
- Many charges against Pell, including the most serious allegations, have been thrown out.
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The Archdiocese of Melbourne has issued a short statement. It simply says:
The Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart has declined to make any comment in relation to the decision of the magistrate Belinda Wallington to commit Cardinal Pell to face trial in the county court.
Archbishop Hart expressed his confidence in the judicial system in Australia and said that justice must now take its course.
#BREAKING: The Archdioceses of Melbourne have made an official statement following the decision that George Pell will face trial for historic sex offences. #9News pic.twitter.com/hwUhnQlFtc
— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) May 1, 2018
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Pell will stand trial on multiple alleged offences
The magistrate is still delivering her decision.
But my colleague Melissa Davey says the magistrate has indicated that Pell will face trial on multiple charges, from separate complainants.
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A number of charges against Pell have been withdrawn. We already knew that would occur.
We’ve also learned that Wallington has thrown out further charges relating to one complainant. She said it was impossible for the offences to have occurred given that the complainant did not live at St Joseph’s boy’s home during the 12-month period when he said the alleged offences occurred.
Another charge based on an allegation by another complainant has also been thrown out.
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Pell likely to stand trial on at least one charge
The court hears that Pell is likely to stand trial on at least one charge. But many other charges have been thrown out.
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If you’re new to this story or need a refresher, I strongly recommend this excellent explainer from Melissa Davey. The piece tells us about the history of the case, its importance, the nature and seniority of Pell’s role in the Vatican, and the broader background of the royal commission.
It’s well worth your time.
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What can we expect today?
Reporters are not able to tweet from inside the courtroom. It may be some time while the magistrate, Belinda Wallington, delivers her judgment.
While we wait, let’s recap what we expect will happen this morning.
- First and foremost, we will learn whether Cardinal George Pell will face trial on historical child sexual offences.
- The hearing began in the Melbourne’s magistrates court about 10am, and will run for about an hour-and-a-half.
- Wallington will use the time to deliver her judgment on the committal, working through four weeks of evidence and submissions from both sides. Much of the evidence was delivered in closed court, as is standard for cases of this type.
- Pell’s defence barrister, Robert Richter QC, used the committal hearing to argue the evidence against his client is uncorroborated and unreliable.
- Wallington will need to decide whether the evidence against Pell warrants a trial.
Guardian Australia’s Melissa Davey is in the courtroom and will bring us updates when she can.
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Magistrate arrives, proceedings begin
The magistrate, Belinda Wallington, has arrived. The proceedings have commenced.
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A few more shots of Pell’s arrival are emerging. They show a frenzied scene.
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There are three courtrooms to accommodate the media and public here to witness Belinda Wallington’s decision on whether Cardinal George Pell will stand trial.
Dozens of local and international media are present. Pell, the Vatican’s financial controller and third in line to the Pope, walked into the court just before 9.30am and was confronted by protesters both in support and against him.
Dozens of police remain outside the magistrates court in Melbourne. If his case goes to trial, it in unclear when such a trial will occur but it would likely go for months.
Pell has entered court room 1 with his defence lawyer Robert Richter. He is flanked, as always, by his friend and director of communications for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Katrina Lee. @knausc
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) April 30, 2018
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Pell arrives at Melbourne magistrates court
Cardinal George Pell has arrived at the courtroom before the judgment on his committal.
The scene was predictably chaotic. A cordon of police held back the waiting press pack, as Pell and his lawyer, Robert Richter QC, made their way into the court building.
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The case against Pell has attracted a huge contingent of media, interested members of the public and police outside the Melbourne courtroom. It is, of course, to be expected. Pell is the most senior Catholic to be charged with historical child sex offences.
Today is no different. Already, there is a significant media and police presence outside the magistrates court. My colleague Melissa Davey is there.
The police contingency for Pell pic.twitter.com/hFEpQokVEI
— Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) April 30, 2018
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Cardinal Pell faces court for crucial day
Hello and welcome to what is a critical day in the proceedings against Cardinal George Pell.
We are returning to the Melbourne magistrates court for a decision on whether Pell will face trial over alleged historical sexual offences
The decision comes after a four-week committal hearing, during which Pell’s lawyers sought to punch holes in the prosecution’s case, and prove it was not strong enough to warrant a trial.
We’ll be bringing you live updates as they happen from Melbourne.
An early note of caution, however. There are legal complexities to this case that may make reporting with speed difficult. Please do bear with us. We’ll do our best to bring you updates on the critical moments in the courtroom as they happen.
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