Court told Pell abuse claims are impossible
IT is impossible that allegations of historical sexual offending by Cardinal George Pell at a Melbourne cathedral could have occurred, a court has been told.
The highest- ranking Catholic official to be charged with sexual abuse has briefly faced court for a second time, before a full hearing in March to determine if he should stand trial.
Pell’s lawyers will argue that some of the allegations, those involving Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, could not have happened.
“We propose to demonstrate to Your Honour that what was alleged was impossible,” Pell’s barrister Robert Richter, QC, told Magistrate Belinda Wallington.
As many as 50 people will be called as witnesses when the former Melbourne and Sydney archbishop and Ballarat priest faces a four- week committal hearing beginning on March 5.
Some of the witnesses will say they did not see anything or do not remember, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told yesterday.
Mr Richter said the defence needed to cross- examine witnesses to probe their memories of events.
“The notion that it couldn’t happen needs to be explored,” he said.
Pell is fighting charges involving multiple complainants.
Yesterday’s 20- minute hearing was mainly a discussion about which witnesses will be cross- examined at the committal hearing.
Pell does not have to enter a formal plea unless he is committed to stand trial in the Victorian County Court.
He would plead not guilty to all charges, Mr Richter told the cardinal’s first court appearance on July 26.