George Pell, former Vatican number 3, was sentenced to 6 years in prison for child abuse – 03/12/2019

The Australian cardinal George Pell, former Vatican number 3, was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison for five crimes of pedophilia against two minors, occurred in the 90s.

Justice Peter Kidd of the Victoria Court stated that Pell must serve three years and eight months of the sentence before applying for parole. In his sentence, the magistrate stated that he had taken into account the "horrendous" crimes and the advanced age (77 years) of the religious. Pell incurs a maximum penalty of 50 years.

The cardinal, who insists on his innocence, appeared in Melbourne court after being convicted by five bad crimes against two children in 1996 and 1997.

The priest – who wore a black shirt but without the traditional white clerical collar – remained seated and unmoved, while Judge Kidd described the attacks on the two boys at the altar.

Pell was found guilty of having stuck the two minors, then aged 13 and inmates of the prestigious St. Kevin School, and mistreated them in December 1996. This gesture was repeated with one of the two young men only two months later. .

"There is a further level of degradation and humiliation that each of her victims should have had the feeling to know that the violence they suffered was seen by the other, "said the magistrate, who acknowledged that Mr. Pell" may not live long enough to be released from prison. "

"There is no rest for me"said one of the victims, known only as "J", in a note read by her lawyer, Vivian Waller. "I appreciate the court recognizing the damage I suffered as a child," he added, adding that "everything is tainted by the next call."

Pell's defense had already announced last Wednesday that she would appeal the verdict of guilt. Guarantees that the decision "is unreasonable and can not rely on evidence". The hearings are scheduled for June 5 and 6.

Although Kidd pointed out Wednesday that the sentence weighs on Pell and not on the Church, Francisco and the Vatican have been hit hard by this decision.

The former finance minister of the pope is the highest official of the Holy See to be sentenced for this type of crime. Even though the charges had been known for years, the Sovereign Pontiff attributed to him number 3 of the Vatican.

In addition, the father of one of the boys stated that will continue the former Archbishop of Melbourne and Sydneysince his son died for a accidental overdose of heroin in 2014, when I was 31 years old He alleges that it is common for victims of badual abuse to resort to drugs.

In the midst of denunciations, the pope held a summit in February with world leaders of bishops from around the world establish guidelines against cases of abuse. They aim to protect the victims and encourage the accused clergy to leave the ministry.

With information from EFE and AFP