Australian Cardinal George Pell on Wednesday was sentenced to six years in prison — making him the most senior Catholic official to be found guilty in a criminal court of child molestation. </s> Ex-Vatican Official, Cardinal Pell, Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison

Australian Cardinal George Pell on Wednesday was sentenced to six years in prison — making him the most senior Catholic official to be found guilty in a criminal court of child molestation. </s> MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian court on Wednesday upheld the sexual abuse conviction of Cardinal George Pell, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic leader ever found guilty in a criminal court in the church’s child sex abuse crisis.

The cardinal, 78, once an adviser to Pope Francis, was sentenced to six years in prison in March.

“He will continue to serve his sentence,” said Chief Justice Anne Ferguson of the Supreme Court of the state of Victoria in Melbourne, who presided over the case with two other top judges.

Cardinal Pell was found guilty in December of molesting two 13-year-old boys after a Sunday Mass in 1996 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne, and groping one of them again months later. A gag order meant the verdict was not unsealed until February, after a second trial involving Cardinal Pell was canceled.

The case has garnered broad attention both for its secrecy and the precedent it set. Abuse survivors had hailed the conviction as proof that judicial systems can hold even the most senior prelates accountable in the global child sexual abuse scandal that has stained the church’s image. </s> Australian Cardinal George Pell, once the Vatican's number three, was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison for five crimes of sexual abuse, one for oral penetration, against two minors, in events that occurred more than 20 years ago.

Judge Peter Kidd of the Victoria State Court in Melbourne said Pell will have to serve three years and eight months of his sentence before being able to ask for parole. </s> Ex-Vatican Official, Cardinal Pell, Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison

Australian Cardinal George Pell on Wednesday was sentenced to six years in prison — making him the most senior Catholic official to be found guilty in a criminal court of child molestation.

How much prison time is enough for the most senior Catholic cleric ever charged with sexual abuse? An Australian judge gave his answer. He sentenced Cardinal George Pell to six years for the sexual abuse of two boys in 1996. Judge Peter Kidd acknowledged the possibility that Pell may not live to be released from prison because he is 77 years old. That outcome is still not satisfying for one of the victims, who issued a statement read here by lawyer Vivian Waller.

VIVIAN WALLER: It is hard for me, for the time being, to take comfort in this outcome. I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However, there is no rest for me.

INSKEEP: NPR's Sylvia Poggioli is based in Rome and is covering this story. Hi, Sylvia.

INSKEEP: So I just said the sexual abuse of two boys in 1996 - I feel like that brief phrase - it almost glosses it over, doesn't quite do justice here. What are some of the details of what really happened?

POGGIOLI: Well, they're rather, you know, heavy details. He was accused of basically exposing his genitals and so forth to these two young boys in the sacristy of Melbourne Cathedral, where Pell was archbishop in 1996. We just learned two weeks ago that he had been convicted in December of five charges, and today we heard the sentencing. And the judge, Peter Kidd, said a non-parole period of three years and eight months. He described Pell's conduct as staggering arrogance and said he hadn't shown remorse.

Now, Pell faced a maximum of 10 years for each charge, and this sentence was seen as very light. It disappointed a lot of the lawyers of the victims, but the judge said that Pell had otherwise had a blameless life and doesn't pose a risk of re-offending. But he did have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

INSKEEP: Help me understand otherwise blameless life. Had there been no other accusations besides the two particular ones that were brought to trial here?

POGGIOLI: Not at all. There have been several others. In fact, there was going to be another trial. That's why there had been a gag order for so long on the first trial. But the judge dropped that trial. And now one of the victims in this case, who has died since, his family is planning to do a civil lawsuit against Pell. So definitely - and there have been other charges.

INSKEEP: So otherwise blameless life - maybe not an accurate statement.

POGGIOLI: I would say so, yeah.

INSKEEP: OK. Nevertheless, there is this conviction. There is this sentencing. How significant is it that a senior official of the Catholic Church would be called to account in this way before a civil court?

POGGIOLI: It's huge, and it's only one of several blows for the Vatican. A week ago, the French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin offered to resign after he was given a six-month suspended sentence for failing to report allegations of abuse of minors by a priest. We see now civil authorities in many countries are opening up sex abuse investigations against local churches. So after three decades of these scandals across the world and while the Vatican sort of delays introducing accountability rules, the Catholic Church is really coming face-to-face with civil justice. I think we see the - we're seeing the end of a centuries-old practice in which governments had a hands-off noninterference policy toward the Catholic Church. These officials can no longer expect this kind of treatment. Like all citizens, they're going to be held accountable by civil justice systems now. </s> An Australian court on Wednesday sentenced former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell to six years in jail for sexually abusing two choir boys in a Melbourne cathedral in 1996, Reuters reported. The 77-year-old is the highest ranking Catholic priest to be convicted of child sex offences and has also faced allegations that he covered up complaints of child sexual abuse by priests.

Pell was held guilty in December. He has maintained his innocence and has filed an appeal on three grounds, which will be heard in June.

“In my view, your conduct was permeated by staggering arrogance,” County Court of Victoria Chief Judge Peter Kidd said in the sentencing. “Viewed overall, I consider your moral culpability across both episodes to be high.”

Pell was ordered to sign the sex offender register and was sentenced to a minimum of three years and eight months in jail, AFP reported. You “may not live to be released from prison” the judge told the priest, accusing him of a “brazen and forceful sexual attack on the two victims.” The cardinal faced a maximum 50 years in prison for the five charges.

Prosecutors accused Pell of forcing the boys, whom he found drinking communion wine in a cathedral room at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne, into “indecent acts”. Pell then was archbishop of Melbourne. He allegedly abused one of the boys in 1997 again. One of the accusers died in 2014 of an accidental heroin overdose, having never disclosed the abuse.

However, the judge said Pell was “not to be made a scapegoat for any failings or perceived failings of the Catholic Church”. His appeal has been scheduled for a hearing on June 5 and 6.

“A small amount of justice has been done today,” an advocate for the victims said outside the court. “I don’t think six years is long enough.” </s> Cardinal George Pell, Former Vatican Official, Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison

Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77, a former leading Vatican official who last month was convicted of sexually abusing two boys, has been sentenced to six years in prison. He will be eligible for parole after three years and eight months.

During the sentencing hearing, Victoria state County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd acknowledged the disgraced cleric may not live to serve the full sentence.

"I am conscious that the term of imprisonment, which I am about to impose upon you, carries with it a real, as distinct from theoretical, possibility that you may not live to be released from prison," Kidd said to Pell.

The prospect of facing jail at Pell's advanced age "must be an awful state of affairs," Kidd added.

Pell was convicted in December of five sexual offenses committed against two 13-year-old choirboys during an incident in 1996 at Melbourne's grandest cathedral, when he was archbishop.

A 12-member jury unanimously found him guilty of exposing himself to the two boys, fondling them and forcing one to perform oral sex on him. The jury also convicted Pell of indecently assaulting one of the boys more than a month later.

A court-issued gag order had suppressed media reporting of the news until last month.

Following the sentencing on Wednesday, Vivian Waller, a lawyer for one of the victims, read a written statement by her client outside the court.

"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 man wrote. "It is hard for me, for the time being, to take comfort in this outcome. I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However, there is no rest for me. Everything is overshadowed by the forthcoming appeal."

The other victim died in 2014 of a heroin overdose. He was 31 and never reported the abuse.

Pell denies the allegations, and his lawyers argue he has been made a scapegoat for the failings of the Catholic Church regarding sexual abuse by priests, NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reported.

Pell has filed an appeal, and the court will determine if there are sufficient grounds for it to be heard. A court date has been set for June 5.

In court on Wednesday, Pell was told he will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

He is the most senior Vatican leader ever charged with sexual abuse. He was selected by Pope Francis to run the Vatican's new economic ministry. </s> • George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic cleric, has been convicted of sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys in 1996 and 1997 at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
• Pell was the archbishop of Melbourne at the time and until recently, also one of Pope Francis' closest advisors.
• The conviction was handed down by the Victorian County Court in December last year but a suppression order prevented media outlets in Australia from reporting his identity until now.
• Pell's legal team indicated they would appeal the conviction. He will attend a pre-sentence hearing on Wednesday and is expected to be sentenced in the next two weeks.

George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic cleric, has been convicted of sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys in 1996 and 1997 at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Pell was the archbishop of Melbourne at the time and until recently, also one of Pope Francis' closest advisors. His conviction will send shockwaves through the Catholic Church, which has been trying to deal with the implications and widespread damage of institutional sexual abuse.

The conviction was handed down by the Victorian County Court in December last year but a suppression order prevented media outlets in Australia from reporting his identity until now.

Pell was found guilty of sexual penetration of a child under 16 years old and four counts of an indecent act with or in the presence of a child, according to the ABC.

Pell's legal team indicated they would appeal the conviction. He will attend a pre-sentence hearing on Wednesday and is expected to be sentenced in the next two weeks.

The Sydney Morning Herald has the full details » </s> Australian Cardinal George Pell, who used to be the third most powerful figure in the Vatican, was found guilty of child sexual abuses by a jury in Melbourne, judicial sources announced Tuesday.

Pell, the highest-ranking priest of the Australian Catholic Church, raped a 13-year-old altar boy in the 1990s and sexually abused another boy of the same age at the prestigious St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne.
Cardinal George Pell, the most senior official of the Catholic Church to be convicted of sexual abuse to date, is sentenced to six years in prison for the sexual assault of two children in the late 1990s.