Pell may face new charges
CARDINAL George Pell may face fresh charges following a shock development in his preliminary hearing.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday heard a witness due to face cross examination had supplied a new statement to police last night.
The statement is understood to contain criminal allegations against the Cardinal.
Cardinal Pell’s barrister Robert Richter, QC described the new statement - made weeks into the Cardinal’s hearing - as “problematic”.
Cardinal Pell is in the process of a preliminary hearing that will determine whether he faces a jury trial over allegations of historical sex offences.
Mr Richter said his legal team needed to investigate the fresh claims with a view to having them dealt with separately should charges proceed.
“We do not know if charges are to be laid or not in relation to him,” he said. The witness had only been called to give evidence at Cardinal Pell’s hearing to answer questions about his original statement, which placed the Cardinal at a location where alleged offences against others took place.