‘I want him to rot in jail’: Pell victim’s father speaks on eve of sentencing

The father of one of the 13-year-old choirboys abused by Cardinal George Pell has ripped into the senior Catholic ahead of his sentencing.

In 1996, the lives of two 13-year-old choirboys changed forever when they were molested by then archbishop of Melbourne George Pell inside St Patrick’s Cathedral. After the testimony of one of these boys, Pell was found guilty of child sexual abuse last year. The other boy, tragically, is no longer here to fight for justice. His life spiralled out of control after the abuse, and he died of a drug overdose in 2014. Tomorrow, Pell will be sentenced, something the father of that lost boy is eagerly awaiting in the hope that, finally, his boy will be avenged.

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On the eve of George Pell’s sentencing, my determination to see that man rot in jail is stronger than ever.

It will mean that he can no longer hurt any children. It will not bring my son back, but if Pell is in jail forever, he will not be able to destroy any more families the way he destroyed mine.

To see them “throw away the key” so he is never to be released is what I want.

What I want is to see them “throw away the key” so he is never to be released.

It will not give me real closure because I can never have my son back, but seeing Pell incarcerated for the rest of his life will help me move forward and know that my son’s suffering has not ultimately been in vain, though it was for so long.

I think my son would feel a huge sense of relief and would feel as if a great weight had been lifted from his young shoulders.

Perhaps he would have had the courage to stand beside the other choirboy and speak up, and perhaps he would not have wasted his life on drugs.

Pell arriving in court in Melbourne. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The other choirboy has been extremely brave in all of this, and I will be forever thankful that he had the guts to speak up. I only wish I could have known sooner because perhaps I could have saved them both from the huge amount of suffering they went through.

I am also thankful to his family who have supported him through what must surely be the most difficult thing they have ever faced.

When I think of my son, I reflect on what a tragic waste of a young life this has been.

I feel sure in my mind that my son would have had a successful and happy life if this had not happened.

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His teenage years would have been like most other boys, full of wonder and excitement and discoveries as he matured and made plans for his future. I would have been able to watch him flourish and grow into a stable, well-adjusted young man. Instead, all he had to look forward to was the next hit.

Now I know that Pell was the cause of all the turmoil in my son’s life, but his destruction did not stop there. I can honestly say he has ruined my family as it was back then.

Pell will be sentenced tomorrow. Picture: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

We were irrevocably broken by Pell. His actions destroyed our family unit and everything that was dear to me. I lost my relationship with my wife, my daughter, and I have grandchildren who do not know their grandpa.

This has affected me in ways I cannot begin to describe. At times I feel lost, I feel like a failure, and I feel like I let my son and my family down.

A guilty verdict is one step forward but one perpetrator behind bars is not enough. A relentless pursuit for justice for every victim is why I’ve gone to Shine Lawyers. What I want, and why I’ve decided to sue the church, is to change the systemic failures that have crushed so many kids before they ever had a chance to dream of a future.

To anyone out there who is a victim of abuse, my heart goes out to you. Please, find the courage to speak up. Tell someone and keep telling someone until your voice is heard.

Remember, you are not alone, there are more people out there just like you with stories just like yours. Together your voices can be strong, and you can make a difference. The choirboy was just one voice, and his voice made a difference.