Summary
Let’s take another look at the main events of today, a historic day in Australia.
- George Pell has left prison and is a free man after the high court quashed his convictions for child sexual assault.
- In a statement, Pell said he held no “ill will” towards his accuser and thanked family, friends and supporters.
- The federal attorney general, Christian Porter, will now consider whether he can release a previously redacted section of the final report of the royal commission into child sexual abuse.
- The archbishop of Melbourne, Peter Comensoli, said the court outcome should end “an intense and painful time for all those personally involved”.
- The prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the high court’s decision “must be respected”.
- The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, made no comment on the decision but said his message to every abuse victim was “I believe you”.
That’s where we’re going to leave our live coverage today. Thank you for joining us.
The interview concluded with Craven addressing the state of the Catholic church:
I think the Catholic church has to account for everything that has been done, for the terrible abuse that has happened. It has to compensate. It has to reciprocate. It has to do all of those things. But, yes, the Catholic church will recover. Its works of charity and its works of mercy will go on. And let’s face it, what happened today was not something where the Catholic church was proved to have done something wrong, it was a case for the member of the Catholic church was found not guilty of something that a very wide range of the media had been pushing as far as it can for as long as it could.
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Carvalho tries to move the interview on. She says the ABC is not the subject of the interview and he has had his say. She also says that management would reject his claims.
“You’re interviewing me and I’m giving answers,” says Craven, who is keen to continue his criticisms.
He is asked if he has sympathy for the accuser and other victims.
Craven says:
I have incredible sympathy and I particularly blame certain people for what happened. In this case, you have a client who was highly credible. There is no reason to believe that he did not believe that he was telling the truth.
The biggest problem that he had he was in a case that was never going to go through to, from his point of view, a successful ending. The reason that case was prosecuted, the reason that case went as far as it was, was precisely because of the media fracas that I have been talking about. The question I have for you, how much guilt does the ABC feel making sure this victim has gone through years of hell only to be hurled down when the case should never have been brought?
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Craven is now accusing the ABC of “talking up” redacted sections of the royal commission report.
Carvalho: “You’re saying talking up. But isn’t that just stating the facts of the developments that have taken place over the course of today?”
Craven:
No, with great respect, it’s not. What has happened today is that the high court unanimously – 7-0 – said the Victorian justice system got it hopelessly wrong and restored a person who has been consistently referred to by a variety of media, including leading members of the ABC, as a convicted paedophile, which is not nor can it now be said. That is the news of the day. It is astonishing an organisation like the ABC, which places so much emphasis on its trust, is now rapidly trying to divert attention from the fundamental fact.
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Prof Greg Craven criticises ABC for Pell coverage
Prof Greg Craven, the president and vice-chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, is on the ABC now and has attacked the national broadcaster.
Craven claims the ABC “did its very best to be part of the cheer squad that made that happen”.
He is challenged on this claim by the presenter Karina Carvalho.
“It wasn’t a case whether you liked George Pell or whether you would like George Pell to be in jail,” he says. “I think the truth was it was a case about whether it happened. A large group of the ABC and a group of journalists did everything they could ...”
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Guardian Australia’s David Marr writes that today’s high court decision is a “mighty triumph” for George Pell’s backers, as well as the man himself.
But Marr argues it is also a triumph for the narrative he says was promoted by the church: that it was “misunderstood”, and pursued by abuse victims, police and journalists with axes to grind.
You can read David’s piece below.
Morrison: High court decision 'must be respected'
Asked about the high court’s decision, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, said he was staying focused on the Covid-19 pandemic.
He has been providing the media with an update in Canberra today.
Briefly addressing the court outcome, Morrison said “mere discussion of these topics brings back great hurt” for victims.
“When these things are raised, my thoughts are always with them. But the high court, the highest court in the land, has made its decision and that must be respected,” he said.
AAP reports that roads were closed so Pell’s convoy could make its way to a monastery in eastern Melbourne. He has now arrived.
It is worth noting that the high court’s decision came during Holy Week, the most significant week on the Christian calendar.
Pell did not speak to the media as he left the prison, instead issuing a statement which we have reported earlier today.
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A reflection from the Guardian’s David Marr, who will be providing analysis later today.
“We await the court’s reasons but the trial is over and now the opera begins - as George Pell’s supporters represent him as the greatest Catholic martyr in the history of the nation. It’s going to be quite a day.”
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For tonight’s program, #abc730 requested an interview with George Pell. He has declined the invitation.
— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) April 7, 2020
If media coverage of Cardinal #Pell's acquittal is causing you emotional distress please reach out to someone who can support you and remember, we are here for you 24/7 on 13 11 14 or nightly via Lifeline Text. Lifeline Text is available 6pm-midnight (AEST) on 0477 13 11 14.
— Lifeline (@LifelineAust) April 7, 2020
Great shot of Cardinal George Pell leaving Barwon Prison this afternoon. By @jamesrossphotog for @AAPNewswire pic.twitter.com/nvsTTb6msH
— Karen Sweeney (@karenlsweeney) April 7, 2020
The prime minister has started speaking in Canberra. The purpose of his press conference is to discuss the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but if he addresses the high court decision we will bring you those comments.
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The clergy victims’ group Snap said it was “disappointed that Cardinal George Pell has successfully escaped his conviction on sexually abusing two choirboys and will be freed from prison”.
The organisation said that its “hearts ache” for the surviving choir boy and that it hoped the court’s decision did not “does not deter other victims from coming forward to report their abuse”.
But the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests added: “We believe that this ruling will make others lose their faith in the criminal justice system and will send the message that survivors should stay hidden and silent rather than come forward and seek justice.”
The commonwealth attorney general, Christian Porter, has discussed the Pell matter at a press conference in Canberra.
He said:
“Obviously this is a very consequential decision, that will be pored over for years to come. Thoughts are with a whole range of people victims of sexual misconduct and people who have been before the royal commission. There is an issue with royal commission … about whether or not a further tabling can occur of royal commission documents that does not contain redaction. My view is that is possible, and where possible that should occur. It does require some liaison between my office and Victorian authorities, investigatory and prosecutorial, to make sure further tabling with less redactions would not prejudice any future investigations of a number of types. That could take a number of weeks. My strong preference is to have as much of the information that has been redacted tabled with less redaction. But that is a process I have to engage in with Victorian authorities.”
The prime minister is addressing the media at Parliament House at 1.15pm. He will no doubt be asked to comment on the high court’s decision.
Andrew Bolt told Sky News earlier that Pell will be going to a “place of refuge that has been offered to him” to “contemplate”.
Bolt says that Pell will then give what will likely be his only interview to him on Sky News.
The archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, says George Pell has always maintained his innocence and today’s decision “confirms his conviction was wrong”.
“I am pleased that the cardinal will now be released and I ask that the pursuit of him that brought us to this point now cease.”
Statement from Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP: pic.twitter.com/AYf5lKrEn2
— Daniel Ang (@DanielAngRC) April 7, 2020
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Porter has also told media that the release of the un-redacted royal commission report is up to him, but he would first consult with relevant parties and only do so with care and caution.
George Pell has left Barwon Prison a free man after the High Court earlier today quashed his child sex abuse convictions. https://t.co/9pZbCddxQx #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/6y23F0j2st
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) April 7, 2020
The federal attorney general has told reporters in Canberra that he will be liaising with Victorian authorities over the potential release of the final, un-redacted report of the royal commission into institutional child abuse.
He says his preference is to un-redact as much from the report as possible.
A-G Christian Porter says he is consulting on whether an unredacted version of the final report from the royal commission into i institutional child abuse should now be tabled. “My view is where that is possible, that should occur,” he says.
— Karen Middleton (@KarenMMiddleton) April 7, 2020
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Victorian premier statement
The premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, says in a statement:
“I make no comment about today’s High Court decision.
But I have a message for every single victim and survivor of child sex abuse:
I see you.
I hear you.
I believe you.”
Pell leaves prison
We are being told on the ABC that the George Pell appears to have now left Barwon prison now in a black car.
Aerial footage showed a black car leaving the prison behind a white Mercedes that was in front.
There is a roadblock in place, the ABC reports.
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News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, one of Pell’s most prominent defenders, writes on his blog that the jailing of George Pell “was one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in this country”.
“The quashing of Pell’s conviction for inherently implausible crimes does not make things better,” he wrote.
“Pell has had his reputation smashed, his career ruined, his savings destroyed and his freedom stolen for 404 days. His supporters have had to spend millions to defend his innocence.
“Shame on everyone who participated in this witch hunt and punished those few who tried to speak for justice.
“Shame on the politicians today who still tweet as if Pell is actually guilty.”
Bolt also claimed that the high court decision shamed Victorian police and the court of appeal and also criticised the ABC, which he asserts “persecuted him for years with false claims and never once had a presenter express doubt about this crusade to destroy him”.
It should be noted that the ABC would, no doubt, reject that characterisation of its coverage.
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Media are gathered outside Barwon prison where we are told George Pell will be released shortly. We are expecting his release to be broadcast live.
Here is the footage of Tony Abbott’s response this morning to the news that George Pell will walk free.
Abbott reportedly phoned Pell, who is a friend, after he was convicted last year and has also visited him in prison.
JUST IN: Former PM Tony Abbott has spoken after Cardinal George Pell's child sexual abuse convictions were overturned. #9News pic.twitter.com/Fg1MAOM8zU
— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) April 7, 2020
The Archbishop of Melbourne, Peter Comensoli, has spoken to the media.
He said:
“My own sense was that I had an understanding of the man and my knowledge of him - when he said he was innocent - I accepted that. But I also accepted the processes of our courts, and that has come to its conclusion. I have never been privy to what was made known in the courts. The court system has gone through that now very thoroughly and has come to the conclusion that it has come to, and I accept that decision.”
'Our client is ... in shock': Father of deceased choirboy responds
Through his lawyer, the father of the deceased choirboy, has said he is in shock at the high court’s decision.
Lisa Flynn, national practice leader at Shine Lawyers, represents the man in a separate civil lawsuit against the Catholic church.
Flynn said:
Our client is currently in shock. He is struggling to comprehend the decision by the high court of Australia. He says he no longer has faith in our country’s criminal justice system.
He is furious the man he believes is responsible for sexually abusing his son was convicted by a unanimous jury only to have that decision overturned today allowing George Pell to walk free from jail.
Our client says he is heartbroken for the surviving victim who stuck his neck out by coming forward to tell his story but was ultimately let down by a legal process that forced him to relive his pain and trauma for no benefit.
Our client says this man, who the jury believed, is an upstanding citizen who had nothing to gain from speaking out other than to protect other children from the pain and suffering he has to live with on a daily basis.
He has no doubt George Pell sexually abused his son and that his son’s sudden turmoil was a direct result of the abuse he suffered inside Melbourne’s Catholic cathedral at the hands of George Pell.
This is not the message we need to be sending to vulnerable survivors of sexual abuse.
It suggests that even if survivors of child sexual abuse report their abuse, convince police to lay charges, convince the prosecution to pursue those charges, convince a jury to convict the accused, convince a court of appeal to uphold the jury’s decision, they can still be denied justice by the country’s highest court.
To the hundreds of thousands of survivors and victims of child sexual abuse, I encourage you to stay strong in your fight for justice and your desire to make this world a safer place for our children.
Do not let this decision stop you from speaking your truth. Instead, use today’s decision to free George Pell to ignite your fire and take on your abuser.
We will continue to pursue a civil claim on behalf of our client despite the high court’s ruling today. He has suffered immensely and maintains George Pell was responsible for his son’s sudden downward spiral after he abused his son as a young choirboy.
A civil case isn’t treated the same as a criminal case in that there are different standards of proof and one is not reliant on the other.
Our civil case is focused on the devastating impact this has had on our client’s life. The standard of proof is on the balance of probabilities – that is whether it is more probable than not the abuse occurred and caused our client to suffer injury.
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Melbourne Archbishop Peter Comensoli has responded to true High Court decision to quash George Pell’s convictions. He says the case has been “intense and painful” for all personally involved. He has specifically acknowledged Witness J, the sole living complainant in the case. pic.twitter.com/OlqpWmb7mG
— Shannon Deery (@s_deery) April 7, 2020
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ABC pulls Revelation documentary from its website
The ABC has responded swiftly to the decision of the high court to quash George Pell’s conviction by pulling the latest episode of Sarah Ferguson’s Revelation documentary from iview and ABC Online.
“In response to the high court’s decision regarding Cardinal George Pell, the ABC has temporarily removed episode three of Revelation from its platforms while updating its content,” a spokesman for the ABC said.
Episode three of the ABC TV series addressed allegations about Pell.
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Abbott: The judgment speaks for itself
The former prime minister Tony Abbott was doorstopped by reporters earlier.
He says: “I wouldn’t want to say anything other than let the judgement speak for itself.”
Abbott was reluctant to speak further. Asked if he had been a strong supporter of Pell, Abbott said: “That’s as it’s been and as it will be but, as I said, today is just a day to let the high court judgment speak for itself.”
He did not respond when asked if he believed the decision was the correct one and stepped into his car.
Others have also reacted.
Our quest to eradicate child sexual abuse is far from over. #pell https://t.co/bqDVuaNd6J
— Lyle Shelton (@LyleShelton) April 7, 2020
I am indifferent to George Pell.
— Caroline Di Russo (@CaroDiRusso) April 7, 2020
I am not indifferent to the law.
This decision, while unpalatable to some, is the correct decision. It preserves the rights of very citizen to a fair trial. We should be collectively breathing a sigh of relief.#pell #auspol #highcourt https://t.co/oXpMKuXm43
Pell freed!!! High Court Dismissed conviction!!! https://t.co/LgcuyeiFqm
— Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO (@nyunggai) April 7, 2020
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There seems to be confusion and uncertainty on who will be releasing the child abuse royal commission’s findings relating to Pell and what he did or did not know about abuse occurring by clergy when he held positions within the church in Victoria.
As I mentioned earlier, when Australia’s child sexual abuse royal commission delivered its final report in December 2017 large parts of it that related to Pell were blacked out and redacted. This was because of the legal action against Pell underway and the report could have prejudiced a jury and affected the court process.
Victoria’s office of public prosecution said the report release is a matter for the federal attorney general. The attorney general’s office has just come back to me and said:
“Unredacted reports of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse will not be made publicly available until the relevant state authorities have confirmed that all relevant legal matters have been finalised.”
The attorney general, Christian Porter, is due to hold a press conference at 12.15AEST and will no doubt be asked about it then.
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Pell has long been Australia’s most prominent Catholic. He has also been a controversial figure, not just as a result of the child sexual abuse allegations that the high court has now quashed today, but more broadly because of his time as head of the church in Melbourne and in Sydney.
He has been criticised for the church’s handling of child sexual abuse allegations.
You can read more about his career in the timeline below.
Some federal Labor MPs have also responded to the news.
While I respect the High Court decision I will never respect an institution, system and individual that allowed the abuse in Ballarat to not only occur but to be covered up. Love to all of our courageous survivors. https://t.co/nrtL6ZsU1m
— Catherine King MP (@CatherineKingMP) April 7, 2020
This will be a tough day for many people. If you need help please reach out.
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) April 7, 2020
Many will be in a lot of pain today so please watch out for each other and provide help and support where you can.
Lifeline: 13 11 14
1800 Respect: 1800 737 732
Bravehearts: 1800 272 831 pic.twitter.com/jTdNEAIRyH
Some more reaction to the news, including from the health minister in the Victorian government.
I’m sending my solidarity and love to all victims of child abuse. Keep speaking up. I believe you.
— Jenny Mikakos MP #StayHomeSaveLives (@JennyMikakos) April 7, 2020
Hug your children.
— Louise Milligan (@Milliganreports) April 7, 2020
Today’s news coverage may be distressing for you. There is help available.
In Australia, Blue Knot Foundation can be contacted on 1300 657 380 or at www.blueknot.org.au; Bravehearts Inc, which offers counselling and support for survivors and child protection advocacy, can be contacted on 1800 272 831; 1800 Respect is a 24-hour telephone and online crisis support service available on 1800 737 732 or at www.1800respect.org.au; for 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au.
Statement from Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
Archbishop Mark Coleridge has issued a statement in response to the court’s judgement.
It says:
The high court of Australia has today announced that it has quashed Cardinal George Pell’s convictions on historical sexual abuse charges. The court has ordered that he be released from prison.
Today’s outcome will be welcomed by many, including those who have believed in the cardinal’s innocence throughout this lengthy process.
We also recognise that the high court’s decision will be devastating for others. Many have suffered greatly through the process, which has now reached its conclusion.
The result today does not change the church’s unwavering commitment to child safety and to a just and compassionate response to survivors and victims of child sexual abuse. The safety of children remains supremely important not only for the bishops, but for the entire Catholic community.
Any person with allegations of sexual abuse by church personnel should go to the police.
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When Australia’s child sexual abuse royal commission delivered its final report in December 2017 large parts of it that related to Pell were blacked out and redacted. This was because of the legal action against Pell underway and the report could have prejudiced a jury and affected the court process.
There is no reason that report can not now be made public given the case is over. I was originally told that Victoria’s office of public prosecutions would be the ones to decide when that report is made public. I approached the office of prosecutions and they referred me to the federal attorney general, Christian Porter. I contacted Porter’s office yesterday and have still had no response.
Recovery from sexual abuse in childhood can be complex and can take time. For many people, particularly those who have experienced trauma, today’s news may bring a range of emotions. It’s important to know that support is available. https://t.co/E4226lHBbF
— Julia Gillard (@JuliaGillard) April 7, 2020
Andrew Bolt reveals that Pell will speak exclusively to him soon. @SkyNewsAust
— Chris Smith (@chrissmithonair) April 7, 2020
Fiona Patten, a Victorian state MP and prominent critic of the Catholic church, has said that the court’s decision was a “great disappointment”.
“No amount of holy water can wash the stain of child sexual abuse away from the Catholic church,” she said.
“The decision today will not ‘fix’ the Catholic church. The pain body in that church, which still seems to be in denial about the suffering they have caused and then covered up, will never fade away,” Patten added.
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Some reaction to the court’s decision.
The High Court has found there was not enough evidence to convict. It did not find him innocent. You are then entitled to maintain your view and you are under no obligation to apologise for holding those views.
— Barrie Cassidy (@barriecassidy) April 7, 2020
Take a breath everyone. Court of appeal was split decision and the High Court unanimously found the dissenter (Weinberg - the most experienced in criminal matters) correct. Highlights the risks in historical cases, but other priests have been found guilty and are in jail. #pell.
— Gay Alcorn (@Gay_Alcorn) April 7, 2020
If you know people who have survived child sexual abuse, now is the time to check in on them. A lot of people have nobody around for comfort. For survivors, the timing of this judgment is terrible.
— Jess Hill (@jessradio) April 7, 2020
'I hold no ill will to my accuser': Pell responds
George Pell has issued a statement following the court’s decision.
“I have consistently maintained my innocence while suffering from a serious injustice.
This has been remedied today with the High Court’s unanimous decision.
I look forward to reading the Judgment and reasons for the decision in detail.
I hold no ill will to my accuser. I do not want my acquittal to add to the hurt and bitterness so many feel; there is certainly hurt and bitterness enough.
However my trial was not a referendum on the Catholic Church; nor a referendum on how Church authorities in Australia dealt with the crime of paedophilia in the Church.
The point was whether I had committed these awful crimes, and I did not.
The only basis for long term healing is truth and the only basis for justice is truth, because justice means truth for all.
A special thanks for all the prayers and thousands of letters of support.
I want to thank in particular my family for their love and support and what they had to go through; my small team of advisors; those who spoke up for me and suffered as a result; and all my friends and supporters here and overseas.
Also my deepest thanks and gratitude to my entire legal team for their unwavering resolve to see justice prevail, to throw light on manufactured obscurity and to reveal the truth.
Finally, I am aware of the current health crisis. I am praying for all those affected and our medical frontline personnel.”
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Dr Cathy Kezelman AM, president of the Blue Knot Foundation, said for many survivors the decision would be “crushing, as the immense courage it takes to stand up and be seen and heard is enormous”.
She says:
“To have to prove that you were abused and betrayed can be more than overwhelming given the profound impacts of trauma.
“The child sexual abuse pandemic within the Catholic church has threatened the safety of millions of children, the adults they become and the very moral fibre of what it means to be human. Pell now has his freedom, but many abuse victims have never been free – trapped in the horror of the crimes which decimated their lives.”
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My colleague Melissa Davey has filed her news story on the court’s decision today.
She writes:
Cardinal George Pell, the former financial controller of the Vatican and the most senior Catholic in the world to have been found guilty of historical child sexual abuse, will be freed from prison and have his convictions overturned following a two-year legal battle.
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Victoria police statement
A Victoria police statement following the court’s decisions reads:
We respect the decision of the high court in this matter and continue to provide support to those complainants involved. Victoria police remains committed to investigating sexual assault offences and providing justice for victims no matter how many years have passed. We would also like to acknowledge the tireless work on this case by Taskforce Sano investigators over many years.
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And the summary concludes:
The court held that, on the assumption that the jury had assessed the complainant’s evidence as thoroughly credible and reliable, the evidence of the opportunity witnesses nonetheless required the jury, acting rationally, to have entertained a reasonable doubt as to the applicant’s guilt in relation to the offences involved in both alleged incidents. With respect to each of the applicant’s convictions, there was, consistently with the words the court used in Chidiac v The Queen (1991) 171 CLR 432 at 444 and M v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 487 at 494, “a significant possibility that an innocent person has been convicted because the evidence did not establish guilt to the requisite standard of proof”.
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The court’s statement today begins:
Today, the high court granted special leave to appeal against a decision of the court of appeal of the supreme court of Victoria and unanimously allowed the appeal.
The high court found that the jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant’s guilt with respect to each of the offences for which he was convicted, and ordered that the convictions be quashed and that verdicts of acquittal be entered in their place.
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Court's judgment summary
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Just to be clear, this is the conclusion of the legal process in Australia. The high court has quashed his conviction.
There will be no further trials. After more than 400 days in prison, he will be released today.
High court's judgment continued
The high court found that the jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to Pell’s guilt with respect to each of the offences for which he was convicted, and ordered that the convictions be quashed and that verdicts of acquittal be entered in their place.
In other words, it wasn’t enough jurors they found the witness believable, compelling and honest. The other evidence should have called his account into question, the bench found.
In a summary of the judgment, the bench said that “on the assumption that the jury had assessed the complainant’s evidence as thoroughly credible and reliable, the evidence of the opportunity witnesses nonetheless required the jury, acting rationally, to have entertained a reasonable doubt as to the applicant’s guilt in relation to the offences involved in both alleged incidents”.
There was “a significant possibility that an innocent person has been convicted because the evidence did not establish guilt to the requisite standard of proof,” the bench found.
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Perhaps the most significant, the most anticipated criminal decision in Australian history was delivered to a half-empty courtroom, seven journalists and two lawyers. Four of the reporters (me included) were standing in the hallway. So utterly, utterly bizarre.
High court's judgment
The full judgment has just been sent to journalists and it has taken aim at the court of appeal in Victoria, which initially dismissed Pell’s appeal by a majority of two-to-one.
The judgment says while the court of appeal majority assessed the evidence of the opportunity witnesses as leaving open the possibility that the complainant’s account was correct, their honours’ analysis “failed to engage with the question of whether there remained a reasonable possibility that the offending had not taken place, such that there ought to have been a reasonable doubt as to the applicant’s guilt”.
“The unchallenged evidence of the opportunity witnesses was inconsistent with the complainant’s account, and described: (i) the applicant’s practice of greeting congregants on or near the cathedral steps after Sunday solemn mass; (ii) the established and historical Catholic church practice that required that the applicant, as an archbishop, always be accompanied when robed in the cathedral; and (iii) the continuous traffic in and out of the priests’ sacristy for 10 to 15 minutes after the conclusion of the procession that ended Sunday solemn mass.”
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We will have more details for you about the court’s reasons for its decision shortly. My colleague Ben Smee reported that the full bench was unanimous in allowing his appeal.
The court’s ruling today means that Cardinal George Pell will be released from Barwon prison today.
As we reported earlier, Pell was not in the courtroom. His lawyers will be informing him of the news as we speak.
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The most remarkable moment in the High Court, three people in the public gallery, and four gathered by the door to hear the faint voice of chief Justice Susan Kiefel say #Pell will be let free. No cheers or jeers. There's no one else here
— Ben Smee (@BenSmee) April 7, 2020
While my colleague Ben Smee reports that the convictions have been quashed, we are awaiting reasons from the court. Unfortunately, the court’s website has crashed.
High court quashes Pell's conviction
The High Court has quashed Cardinal George Pell’s convictions, unanimously allowing his appeal.
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So looks like the doors will be open so we can hear #Pell decision
— Ben Smee (@BenSmee) April 7, 2020
George Pell will not be in the court registry in Brisbane this morning. He is at Barwon Prison and will be informed of the judgment by his legal team.
We are now within 10 minutes of the judgment being delivered in Brisbane. We should have the news for you shortly after that.
On December 11 2018, a small group of reporters sitting in the county court in Melbourne witnessed a jury convict Cardinal Pell on five historical child sexual abuse charges. For months, we couldn’t report what occurred due to a suppression order in place. I wrote about what it was like to go through that experience here.
It’s strange that after almost three years – since the committal hearing and today – we will likely see a resolution to this case. Of course, there are a number of scenarios that could play out today, and my colleague Karen Sweeney from AAP has outlined those here.
Because of Covid-19, journalists have been unable to fly to Brisbane to bear witness to the decision. Even if we were at the court, there would be no guarantee of a seat because social distancing requirements mean only a handful of people will be allowed in the courtroom.
So we have been told by the court that the best way to cover this is to wait for the judgment to be published online, which will apparently occur within minutes of the decision being read in court at 10am.
My colleague and Brisbane correspondent Ben Smee is at the court and is doing his best to get a seat. I’ll be filing analysis of the judgment when it is published and bringing you the news on that. You can also follow my thoughts on the case on Twitter.
Many people have written about what to expect today and which way it will go. I’d say trying to preempt a decision from the high court is impossible, no matter what your expertise.
Updated
In May, 2018, The Guardian published an explainer after Pell had just learned that he would face trial.
At the time of his committal, very little was able to be publicly reported about the charges Pell was facing.
Then, Pell was essentially the treasurer of the Vatican and the Holy See in Rome; the third highest ranking Catholic in the world.
He had been the archbishop of Sydney and archbishop of Melbourne. Pell was also the highest-ranking Catholic official in the world to face trial over sexual offence allegations.
Today marks the conclusion of the legal process.
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Last month Guardian Australia’s David Marr previewed the high court appeal.
He wrote: “When the court assembles on Wednesday, a dozen of the finest legal brains in the land will be debating Pell’s fate at a level of stratospheric complexity.
But the core argument for the cardinal is simply stated: that the testimony of more than 20 church witnesses left no “realistic opportunity” for him to assault two boys after a solemn mass at St Patrick’s in December 1996.
You can read David’s piece below.
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At the high court in Brisbane, the situation is surreal.
We’re told two or three journalists will be allowed into the courtroom; there are going on 20 sitting (a few metres apart) in a quiet foyer inside the courthouse.
The contrast between previous hearings of this case couldn’t be more stark. There are no protesters or supporters on the doorstep; not even folks socially distancing. Just a bank of television cameras with no one to film coming in or out.
It looks certain that the high court will read its most anticipated criminal decision in history to a near-empty room.
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It is worth noting that a third outcome is possible in today’s judgment, as AAP reports today.
That could involve the initial Victorian appeal decision being reconsidered, either by the high court or by being sent back to the court of appeal.
My colleague Melissa Davey has been reporting on Pell’s time in court from the start. She has filed this preview of what promises to be a momentous day for the Catholic church, and the nation.
As Melissa writes, Pell’s legal team took his case to the high court after his appeal at Victoria’s appellate court failed in August.
Over two days in March, the full bench heard arguments from Pell’s barrister Bret Walker SC and the director of the Office of Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd QC.
You can read Melissa’s piece below.
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Good morning
Today, Cardinal George Pell will either walk free or remain in jail to serve the remainder of his six-year sentence for child sexual abuse.
The high court of Australia will at 10am deliver its decision in Pell’s appeal against his conviction for sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choir boys in 1996.
In August, Victoria’s court of appeal upheld his conviction by a majority of two to one. Pell has always maintained his innocence.
The decision will be delivered in open court in Brisbane. But due to Covid-19 and travel restrictions, it will be difficult for media to be present for the decision.
The judgment delivery will not be livestreamed, which means we may first learn the outcome when a summary is posted on the court’s website.
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