PELL FREED

GEORGE Pell emerged from prison yesterday saying he felt no ill will towards his accuser after being sensationally acquitted of all charges.

In a unanimous 7-0 decision, a full bench of the High Court quashed Pell’s five convictions for child sexual abuse offences, finding that the jury ignored a reasonable doubt about his guilt.

The 78-year-old spent 405 days behind bars, much of that time in solitary confinement at the Melbourne Remand Centre, before being moved to the maximum security Barwon Prison.

He was driven from the prison at 12.30pm, two and a half hours after the High Court delivered its decision.

He had spent the morning with his lawyers, who were with him to advise him of the decision when it was handed down. They left in convoy after police blocked roads outside the prison, and Pell was driven directly to the Carmelite Monastery in Kew.

It is understood he was looking forward to celebrating mass inside the monastery, something he was unable to do while in prison.

In a statement released yesterday, Pell said he had consistently maintained his innocence despite suffering a “serious injustice”.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Pell thanked his legal team, family, friends and supporters who had sent thousands of letters of support.

Prison sources said a single prisoner had never received the amount of mail that was sent to Pell, who had hoped to respond to every piece of correspondence.

A statement from Victoria Police, who came under scrutiny during the court process for the thoroughness of its investigation into the Cardinal, said it respected the court’s decision.

“We respect the decision of the High Court in this matter and continue to provide support to those complainants involved,” it read.

“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.”

Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, as president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said while the decision was welcomed by many, it would be devastating for others.

“Many have suffered greatly through the process, which has now reached its conclusion,” he said.

“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.”

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 GEORGE PELL