Cardinal Pell was arrested while waiting for his conviction for pedophilia to be known – El mundo

Cardinal George Pell, who ranked third in the Vatican hierarchy, today is spending his first day in detention, pending the conviction of a court on 13 March in the trial in which he is being held. is accused of badual abuse. several children two decades ago.

On the day of the trial, which presented the final arguments before sentencing, Attorney General Mark Gibson said the five counts against Pell were serious and each punishable by 10 years in prison. say half a century in total.

"The detainee did not show remorse or reflection on his offense"Pointed out Gibson speaking of Pell.

For his part, defense attorney Robert Richter has submitted ten letters with references, including that of former Prime Minister John Howard, to support the good behavior of his client.

Richter argued that Pell's crimes "It is only a simple case of conventional badual penetration in which the child does not participate voluntarily or actively", a controversial sentence by which the press asked the exit of the court and the lawyer replied: "I do not know what they're talking about."

The defense also argued that the incident lasted only a few minutes and was not premeditated, but rather the product of an impulse, to which Judge Peter Kidd responded that he "It was a" cruel and unscrupulous crime "and reminded him that Pell is a man suffering from mental disorders.

During the legal proceedings, Pell was accused of badually abusing two minors between late 1996 and early 1997.

The jury of a Melbourne court rendered its verdict on December 11, but the judge prevented it from being made public in order to avoid influencing another process against Pell for an act of pedophilia allegedly committed in the seventies.

The prosecution withdrew the charges from this second case Tuesday, which is why the judge lifted the legal restrictions in the first case against Pell, the highest position of the ecclesiastical hierarchy found guilty of badual badault against minors.

After hearing the verdict, the Vatican announced last night that Pell no longer held the post of prefect of the economy and banned the public exercise of priestly ministry and contact, in whatever form that is, with minors.

Pell's lawyers, who have now withdrawn a bail application he has been granted, have appealed three arguments, including the fact that the jury's verdict was unreasonable.