A brief of evidence made against Cardinal George Pell regarding sexual assault allegations has been returned to prosecutors for review. Victoria Police confirmed on Monday that a brief of evidence against Cardinal Pell had been returned to the Office of Public Prosecutions.
The development in the case against the Cardinal comes after detectives flew to Rome to interview him in October.
There is no suggestion Cardinal Pell is guilty of the allegations, only that they are being investigated. Police are investigating multiple sexual assault allegations against Cardinal Pell, said to have occurred in Ballarat East between 1976 and 1980, and East Melbourne between 1996 and 2001.
Three detectives traveled to Rome in October to meet with Cardinal Pell, who voluntarily participated in an interview.
The Cardinal, who is in charge of the Vatican's finances, has vehemently denied the allegations, describing the claims as "without foundation and utterly false".
The development in the police investigation comes after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse released world-first data on Monday showing almost 4500 people made allegations of child sexual abuse to church authorities over 35 years.
I sincerely pray and hope that the investigation into these allegations is both thorough and swift. Cardinal Pell deserves to be exonerated of such allegations if they are false. The Catholic community deserves to know, beyond any reasonable doubt, that His Eminence is guilty of such horrific allegations or, as we anticipate, is completely innocent of such charges.
Justice delayed is justice denied, as the adage advises. Let justice be done to Cardinal Pell as well as to all those who suffered such despicable abuse from Priests and Religious who have committed such unspeakable crimes.
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