Royal commission finds Pell 'conscious' of priests abusing children in early '70s

Cardinal George Pell was "conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy" as early as 1973 and failed to act on complaints about priests, according to royal commission findings released for the first time.

The child abuse royal commission also rejected Cardinal Pell's evidence that he was deceived and lied to by Catholic Church officials about Australia's worst paedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, and Melbourne parish priest Peter Searson.

The findings made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in December 2017 were redacted to avoid prejudicing the trial of Cardinal Pell, who was then charged with child sexual abuse.

Cardinal Pell was convicted in February 2019 and then acquitted last month, paving the way for the release of the redacted sections of the reports, which were tabled in the Senate on Thursday morning.

The cardinal gave evidence to the royal commission twice: once from Sydney in 2014, and a second time from Rome in 2016.

He told the royal commission in 2016 he was deceived about paedophile priests in "a world of crimes and cover-ups" and did not know about the abuse.

But the commission found that was "implausible"; that abuse was on Cardinal Pell's radar in 1973; and that it "ought to have been obvious" to him during the late 1980s that children were being abused by priests.

What Cardinal Pell knew about Gerald Ridsdale

During his time as a priest in Ballarat, Cardinal Pell was aware fellow priest Gerald Ridsdale was taking boys on overnight camps.

"By this time, child sexual abuse was on his radar," the report states.

"We are also satisfied that by 1973 Cardinal Pell was not only conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy, but that he also had considered measures of avoiding situations which might provoke gossip about it."

Gerald Ridsdale outside court in 1993, accompanied by George Pell.Credit: Geoff Ampt

Notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale has admitted sexually assaulting 65 children – boys and girls – throughout Victoria in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, but it is believed the true number of his victims could be in the hundreds. Ridsdale is in a Victorian prison, having been sentenced five times since 1993.

Cardinal Pell agreed to a request from Ridsdale's legal team to provide a character reference for the priest in court in 1993, with the aim of reducing his jail sentence. Cardinal Pell never made the character reference, but he accompanied Ridsdale to court.

What Cardinal Pell knew about Ridsdale taking boys on trips in 1973

[Gerald] Ridsdale was appointed assistant priest at Ballarat East in 1972. In January 1973, Father Pell was appointed assistant priest at Ballarat East. He lived in the Ballarat East presbytery with Ridsdale for nine or 10 months in that year.

While at Ballarat East, Father Pell heard that Ridsdale had taken groups of boys away on camps, including overnight trips. Cardinal Pell accepted that, because of the Monsignor Day scandal, child sexual abuse was at least on his radar. In submissions, he also accepted it was clear that ‘momentary thought’ was given to the matter of Ridsdale taking boys away on camping trips.

We are satisfied that in 1973 Father Pell turned his mind to the prudence of Ridsdale taking boys on overnight camps. The most likely reason for this, as Cardinal Pell acknowledged, was the possibility that if priests were one-on-one with a child then they could sexually abuse a child or at least provoke gossip about such a prospect.

By this time, child sexual abuse was on his radar, in relation to not only Monsignor Day but also Ridsdale. We are also satisfied that by 1973 Cardinal Pell was not only conscious of child sexual abuse by clergy but that he also had considered measures of avoiding situations which might provoke gossip about it.

• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Final Report

However, the commission cast serious doubt on a controversial claim made by Ridsdale's nephew that Cardinal Pell implicitly bribed him to keep quiet about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his uncle.

"It is more likely that [David] Ridsdale misinterpreted an offer by Bishop Pell to assist as something more sinister," the commission said.

Cardinal Pell failed to report Father Searson

The commission found Cardinal Pell should have advised senior Catholic authorities to remove paedophile priest Father Peter Searson – an "unstable and disturbed individual" – in 1989.

Cardinal Pell, who by that time was an auxiliary bishop and adviser to Melbourne archbishop Frank Little, met with a delegation of Doveton teachers who raised allegations about sexual impropriety by Father Searson.

Father Peter Searson, who died in 2009 without being convicted.

The commission found Cardinal Pell should have urged the archbishop to take action against Searson to protect children in the Catholic community.

"On the basis of what was known to Bishop Pell in 1989, we found that it ought to have been obvious to him at the time," the commission said. "We found that he should have advised the archbishop to remove Father Searson and he did not do so."

As Melbourne archbishop eight years later, Cardinal Pell placed Searson on administrative leave. Searson died in 2009 without being convicted, but the church has paid out $290,000 in compensation to his victims.

'Don't be ridiculous': Cardinal Pell dismissed Dowlan reports

In 1974 Cardinal Pell was informed by a schoolboy about abuse being carried out by Christian Brother, Edward "Ted" Dowlan, the commission found.

The boy said to Cardinal Pell: "We’ve got to do something about what's going on at St Pat's."

Cardinal Pell responded: "Yes, what do you mean?" And the boy replied: "Brother Dowlan is touching little boys."

The commission found Cardinal Pell said words to the effect of, "Don’t be ridiculous," and walked away.

Dowlan has been convicted of more than 50 child sexual offences committed between 1971 and 1985.

Victoria's Attorney-General Jill Hennessy wrote to her federal counterpart Christian Porter last week urging him to release the findings, saying there were no legal barriers to making them public.

On Tuesday Mr Porter confirmed he had received final legal advice to publish the unredacted document.

Cardinal Pell, a former Vatican treasurer and Melbourne and Sydney archbishop, was freed from Barwon Prison on April 7 after the High Court unanimously overturned his convictions.

In an interview last month, he said he would be "very surprised" if the royal commission's report found he covered up actions of predatory priests.

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

With AAP