Media companies sorry for Pell breach

Several media outlets have apologised after admitting to breaching a court order over the George Pell sex case, for which he was eventually cleared.

Cardinal George Pell arrives at his Vatican apartment on September 30. Picture: Victor Sokolowicz

Several media companies have apologised in court for breaching a court suppression order in reporting Cardinal George Pell’s child sex conviction.

The development came on Wednesday after 14 outlets who were on trial, including entities owned by News Corp Australia and Nine, pleaded guilty earlier this month to contempt by breaching the order.

Barrister Matt Collins QC apologised for the breach during a plea hearing on Wednesday, on behalf of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Mamamia, Business Insider, Radio 2GB and the Today show.

“I’m instructed on behalf of all of those entities to proffer an unqualified and sincere apology to this court and the County Court of Victoria and to Chief Judge Kidd for the broadcast of the articles and stories that are subject of the charges in respect of which guilty pleas have been entered,” Dr Collins told Victorian Supreme Court Justice John Dixon.

Will Houghton QC also made an apology on behalf of six entities owned by News Corp Australia.

All media companies have agreed to pay a substantial contribution to cost of the Director of Public Prosecution’s case, which was “no small matter in our respectful submission”, Dr Collins said.

George Pell was eventually cleared. Picture: Victor Sokolowicz

The media companies had entered guilty pleas to a total 21 charges, as part of a deal with the DPP to drop dozens of charges against individual journalists and editors.

The individuals faced potentially severe penalties, including jail, if convicted.

A court non-publication order prevented any reporting on Cardinal Pell’s 2018 trial in Australia, because it could have impacted the jury in his second trial, which was later dropped.

Prosecutors argued articles and broadcasts by Australian media encouraged people to conduct online searches to find the identity of the individual at a time when overseas media were naming Pell.

Cardinal Pell was not named in the local reports, which referred to the conviction of a high-profile Australian.

Fourteen media outlets breached court orders in the Cardinal’s case. Picture: Victor Sokolowicz

The companies that pleaded guilty included News Corporation’s the Herald and Weekly Times, NewsLifeMedia, Queensland Newspapers, Geelong Advertiser, Nationwide News and Advertiser Newspapers, as well as The Age, Fairfax Media Publications, Mamamia, Allure Media and Radio 2GB Sydney and General Television Corporation.

The material was published or broadcast in the Herald Sun, Weekly Times, news.com.au, the Courier Mail, Geelong Advertiser, Daily Telegraph, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Mamamia, Business Insider, Radio 2GB Sydney and the Today Show.

The cardinal was eventually cleared of abusing two choirboys by the High Court and immediately freed from jail in April after 13 months behind bars.

Originally media companies, editors and journalists were facing a combined 100 charges but they were whittled down over time.

The penalty hearing continues at 10am on Thursday.

News Corp Australia is the owner of NCA NewsWire.

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