George Pell scandal timeline: How the extraordinary events unfolded

CARDINAL George Pell is the most senior Catholic to be charged over sex offences in the history of the church. This is how the extraordinary events unfolded.

• Cardinal George Pell charged with sex offences
• Pell accusers are ‘over the moon’
• Andrew Bolt: What hope does Pell have of fair trial?
• Susie O’Brien: Senior Catholics are not above the law

CARDINAL George Pell is the most senior Catholic to be charged over sex offences in the history of the church.

This is how the extraordinary events unfolded.

December 12, 2015. The Herald Sun reveals Cardinal George Pell has cancelled an appearance before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, saying he cannot fly back to Victoria due to ill-health.

December 23, 2015. Victoria Police Sano taskforce makes a public appeal for information relating to allegations of sexual offences in Melbourne, between 1996 and 2001.

February 20, 2016. The Herald Sun reveals in a page one exclusive that the Sano taskforce has been investigating allegations that Cardinal Pell sexually abused a number of boys over a period of four decades. Cardinal Pell, after being contacted by the Herald Sun, makes a statement the same day denying any wrongdoing.

February 22, 2016, A Herald Sun page one report reveals Cardinal Pell is not sure whether he will ever return to Australia. Speaking to the Herald Sun outside the Vatican in Rome, Cardinal Pell again denies the allegations made against him.

March 1, 2016. A Herald Sun page one report details Cardinal Pell’s evidence to Victoria’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, given by videolink from Rome. During his evidence, Cardinal Pell admits the Catholic Church made enormous mistakes in its handling of sex abuse allegations.

June 23, 2016. The Herald Sun reveals Victoria Police Sano taskforce detectives might go to Italy to interview Cardinal Pell.

July 27, 2016. Cardinal Pell issues a statement refuting sexual offences allegations made on the ABC 7 30 Report. Some of the allegations were first revealed in the Herald Sun five months earlier.

August 2016. OPP returns Pell brief of evidence to Victoria Police, without a recommendation.

October 26, 2016. Victoria Police reveals it recently flew three detectives to Rome and that they interviewed Cardinal Pell about the sex offences allegations made against him.

May 17, 2017. Herald Sun front page exclusive reveals the OPP has returned the updated Cardinal Pell brief of evidence to Victoria Police with the advice that there is enough evidence to charge him, but that the decision whether or not to do so rests with the force.

June 29, 2017: Victoria Police charge Cardinal Pell with multiple offences relating to multiple victims.

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