Vatican finance chief faces Australian inquiry over allegations of child sex abuse

ONE OF the most powerful figures in the Vatican and Australia’s most senior Catholic cleric is facing a police investigation over an alleged series of child sexual assaults, including claims he “grabbed” boys at a swimming pool.

In a statement issued by the office of Cardinal George Pell in Rome, the Vatican’s finance chief emphatically denied the allegations, accusing police and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation of “conspiring” to destroy his reputation. He accused police of leaking “inaccurate and unfounded” allegations.

“I have done nothing wrong,” he said. “I bear no ill will and have no de- sire to cause them [the alleged victims] harm but what they say about me is not true.” Two former students at St Alipius, a school in the town of Ballarat, have publicly accused the cardinal of abuse dating back to the 1970s during sessions at a local swimming pool.

Cardinal Pell, 75, was responsible for education in the area and regularly visited the students.

Lyndon Monument, a former student, told ABC that the Cardinal would put his hand down the front of their pants or swim shorts. Damian Dignan, another student, said Cardinal Pell would “grab you – around the testes”.

Darren Mooney, another student, claimed Cardinal Pell would regularly appear naked in the dressing rooms. “A man in his position should know better than to be undressing in front of kids,” he said.

Police in Victoria confirmed they have been investigating allegations against Cardinal Pell for a year but have not yet decided whether to press charges. They said they were awaiting advice from prosecutors on whether to continue inquiries and will consider sending detectives to Rome.

“It’s been a long investigation ... there are a lot of leads that have to be followed up,” said Graham Ashton, the Victoria police chief commissioner. He rejected claims by the Cardinal that police leaked information to the media.