George Pell’s lawyer Robert Richter, QC, apologises for ‘plain vanilla’ comment
George Pell’s barrister has apologised for describing the fallen cardinal’s crimes as “no more than a plain vanilla sexual penetration case”. The apology came as Pell’s police interview tapes were made public.
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George Pell’s barrister has apologised for describing the fallen cardinal’s crimes as “no more than a plain vanilla sexual penetration case”.
Robert Richter, QC, was widely criticised for making the comment during Wednesday’s plea hearing for Pell as he tried to convince the court that the offending was at the lower end of the scale for sex abuse cases.
“After spending a sleepless night reflecting upon the terrible choice of a phrase I used in court during the course of a long and stressful process, I offer my sincerest apologies to all who were hurt or offended by it,” Robert Richter, QC, said in a statement late today.
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“It was not intended to evade the seriousness of what had been done.”
Mr Richter said it was a “wholly inappropriate phrase” and in retrospect could see why it caused “great offence to many”.
Pell has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys inside St Patrick’s Cathedral’s sacristy, where priests dress for Mass, after he caught them drinking altar wine in 1996.
The apology came as police interview tapes were released revealing the cardinal offered to play the role of policeman the first time detectives outlined child sex allegations against him.
As part of “operation Get Pell” — as Mr Richter would later call it — two police officers from Victoria Police’s SANO taskforce travelled to Rome to question the powerful Catholic.
During the interview, Pell offered to give police a list of names of people who should be interviewed and those best placed to demonstrate the “falsity” of the claims, what he needed to trigger his memories from the time — even using words like “with more work and information” “we’ll” establish the strength of the denials, assuming the role of self-investigator.
George Pell’s lawyer Robert Richter, QC, apologises for ‘plain vanilla’ comment
“Immeasurable damage will be done to me and the church by the mere laying of charges which on proper examination will be later found to be untrue,” Pell said.
“I have to rely on the law and my conscience, which say that I’m innocent.
“I have to rely on the integrity of the investigators not setting up to make up a case but searching for the truth.”
In the 45-minute interview, Pell fobbed off the accusations.
“Oh stop it,” he said.
“What a load of absolute and disgraceful rubbish. Completely false. Madness.
“What a load of garbage and falsehood and deranged falsehood.”
Graphic descriptions of Pell’s post Sunday Mass offending were put to him but he was unmoved.
He was polite and, at times, joked during the interview, even thanking police for taking the time to speak to him and treat him with courtesy.
“Your job is important to society. It’s a most unpleasant job,” he said at the conclusion of the interview.
“I am certainly not guilty.”
Cardinal Pell is now in custody awaiting sentence on March 13.
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