George Pell court case: Cardinal’s lawyers to subpoena victims’ group materials in defence against historical sexual allegations
LAWYERS for Cardinal George Pell have sought to subpoena material from a prominent victims’ advocacy group with a former Supreme Court judge now involved in the case.
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LAWYERS for Cardinal George Pell have sought to subpoena material from a prominent victims’ advocacy group with a former Supreme Court judge now involved in the case.
The Cardinal’s legal team told the Melbourne Magistrates Court today they had reached an agreement with the Broken Rites victims’ group in relation to subpoenaed materials but were still in negotiations with the ABC and journalist Louise Milligan.
Former Supreme Court judge Jack Rush, QC, was in court for today’s hearing and told magistrate Belinda Wallington he had been advising Ms Milligan in relation to her subpoena.
Earlier this year Melbourne University Press published a Walkley Award-winning book about Cardinal Pell written by Ms Milligan.
But it was later pulled from shelves in Victoria after he was charged.
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“MUP is taking all reasonable measures to withdraw Cardinal: the rise and fall of George Pell by Louise Milligan from sale in Victoria now that Cardinal Pell has been charged,” the publisher said at the time.
The book was released on May 15 and contained allegations about sexual assaults in Ballarat between 1976 and 1980 and in East Melbourne between 1996 and 2001.
Cardinal Pell’s Rome office labelled the book “an exercise in character assassination”.
The court heard Cardinal Pell’s lawyers were hopeful of reaching an agreement with the ABC and Ms Milligan about which documents they would release.
Cardinal Pell was not in court for today’s administrative hearing, and was not required to be.
Cardinal Pell is expected to face a month-long preliminary hearing next March over the allegations.
Dozens of witnesses, including former choirboys, will be called during the preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors say they have allocated two weeks for complainants in the matter to be cross-examined, but do not yet have an accurate estimate of how long that could take.
The specific charges being faced by the Cardinal, or the number of alleged offences, are not yet known.
The Cardinal has taken leave from his post as the Vatican’s finance chief but has vowed to return to the top job once he clears his name.
His high-profile lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, has repeatedly said Cardinal Pell would vigorously fight every charge brought against him.
When he was charged in June Cardinal Pell made a statement proclaiming his innocence.
“I’m innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sex offences is abhorrent to me,” he said.
“News of these charges strengthens my resolve, and court proceedings now offer me an opportunity, to clear my name and then return to my work in Rome.
“I am looking forward finally to having my day in court,” he said.
The matter will return to court on December 21.