Cardinal George Pell preliminary hearing learns details of alleged offences
HORRIFIC allegations against Cardinal George Pell were aired in court for the first time today, including alleged offences at a movie theatre and swimming pool.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
HORRIFIC allegations against Cardinal George Pell were aired in court for the first time today.
Cardinal Pell has been charged with historical sex offences dating back to the 70s and is in the process of a month-long preliminary hearing to decide whether he faces a jury trial.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard that an alleged offence took place inside a cinema while the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” played.
The popular Spielberg blockbuster hit regional theatres in the Spring of 1978.
The court heard Cardinal Pell allegedly committed an offence during a sitting of the movie.
But a hands-on projectionist manager at the rural cinema claimed he had no memory of ever seeing the Cardinal at the cinema and claimed its ushers would have closed down any inappropriate behaviour had they been alerted.
CARDINAL GEORGE PELL RETURNS TO MELBOURNE COURT FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING
CARDINAL GEORGE PELL SUBPOENAS MATERIAL AS HE PREPARES TO DEFEND HISTORICAL SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS
He told the court he had a good view of the cinema through portholes in the projectionist’s room and over the years had been called upon to remove frisky patrons himself.
The witness said if someone had screamed out on the balcony overlooking the cinema, they’d have investigated.
A specialist doctor who allegedly treated the victim at the time of the claimed offence told the court he could recall no-one presenting to his clinic at the time with injuries that could support a sex offence had occurred.
“I have no memory of that,” he said.
In a dramatic day for the Cardinal, the court heard another allegation of an offence taking place at a swimming pool.
But again a witness told the court that he did not witness Cardinal Pell doing anything untoward to anyone.
“I don’t recall (him) ever being inappropriate,” he said.
The hearing continues.