George Pell’s late victim spiralled into a nightmare of addiction and mental anguish

While one of George Pell’s victims lived to bring his abuser down, the other spiralled into nightmare of drug addiction and mental torture.

It was at some point between his 13th and 14th birthday that an amiable Melbourne choirboy’s parents noticed something wasn’t quite right with their son.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went from a happy-go-lucky, talented singer who loved rehearsals on his choral scholarship at the prestigious St Kevin’s College to an angry young man who was dabbling in heroin and flunking his classes — aged just 14.

More than 22 years later, his parents now know with the conviction of the law what happened to cause that cataclysmic change in their vulnerable young boy. It was a change from which he never recovered.

In 2014, following a spiral of mental health problems, he died of an accidental heroin overdose aged 31. He never told his parents what unspeakable act which his parents now believe sent him on this tragic journey.

The late victim’s father is preparing to mount legal action against the church and possibly Cardinal George Pell. Picture: Con Chronis/AFP

If they had managed to break through his repeated denials and his shell of embarrassment, the boy’s parents would have heard of a sickening crime committed by an unthinkably powerful figure, Cardinal George Pell — one of the most senior Catholic figures in the world.

Now it is alleged that Pell has “blood on his hands” following the announcement of his guilty verdict for his child sex abuse charges yesterday.

The verdict hinged on the evidence given by a close friend of the late victim who was also sexually abused on that fateful day at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996. He lived to bring his abuser down.

The victim’s father now says he will sue Pell and the Catholic Church for what happened to his son.

An award-winning book by ABC journalist Louise Milligan, called Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell, which is now back on sale after suppression orders prevented it from being sold until the court process had finished, lifts a heartbreaking lid on the life of the late victim.

The late victim had been a keen choir singer until he was abused at St. Patricks Cathedral. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

It describes how he was selected for his St Kevin’s scholarship because of his angelic voice. His mum and sister told Milligan he was a “great kid” and just a “normal child” until something snapped in him.

Other choir members said he became difficult at school. He became angry and even “a bit of a bully” who began to dabble with heroin after sniffing paint fumes. He became cold and completely withdrawn.

“His wasn’t the same person as what he was beforehand,” his sister told Milligan.

Never being able to hold down a job and drifting off into obscurity before his death, Pell’s victim’s family couldn’t face telling people what really happened to him. They told people that he died in a car crash.

Wondering what had happened to their angelic boy, his parents told Milligan they asked him whether he had been abused, but he just shrugged — which he did when he didn’t want to talk about something — or straight-up denied it.

His family said their son’s funeral was a turning point, because it was shortly after that Pell’s surviving victim, the one who is now 35, and gave evidence in court against the disgraced Cardinal, approached the late victim’s family.

He told them the disturbing story of what had happened in the sacristy of St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996 and it was then that the trajectory of their son’s life began to make sense.

His mother told Milligan she was overcome with anger at her late son for not telling her about the abuse — and she was furious at the Catholic Church.

“You send your kids to school to be safe,” she said. “Not to have this done.”

Now the surviving victim’s father has turned to legal firm Shine to mount legal action against the Catholic Church and possibly against Pell personally for what happened to his son.

Yesterday’s announcement has sent shockwaves across Australia. Picture: David Crosling/AAP

Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell is now available for purchase

Shine’s national special counsel for social justice, Leanne McDonald, told The Guardian it’s “very common for survivors of sexual abuse to turn to drugs as a way to black out the abuse”.

A statement issued by Shine’s head of specialist personal injury, Lisa Flynn, said the father “will allege that Pell has blood on his hands”.

“What they saw was their son go down a spiral of drug abuse from a very young age, soon after the abuse occurred, him struggling with significant psychiatric symptoms and them not really understanding what caused that,” she told The Age.

“Since this has come to light and they have got evidence of what happened to their son, they at least can understand why their son went off the rails the way he did. It’s also been incredibly difficult for them to learn what happened to him at a young age.”

After the suppression order was lifted yesterday, the surviving victim’s lawyer, Viv Waller, released a statement on his behalf.

It stated that he had suffered “shame, loneliness, depression and struggle” as a result of the abuse.

“At some point we realise that we trusted someone we should have feared and we fear those genuine relationships that we should trust,” the statement read.

— If you or anyone you know needs help, contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or beyondblue 1300 224 636.