Cardinal George Pell Has Lost His Appeal, So What Does That Mean?

Trigger warning: This article discusses sexual assault.

In March, Cardinal George Pell was sentenced to six years’ jail for sexually abusing two choirboys during the 1990s, when he was Catholic archbishop of Melbourne.

Chief Judge Peter Kidd of the Country Court of Victoria had labelled the sexual attacks as "brazen and forcible" saying in his sentence, "the brazenness of your conduct is indicative of your sense of authority and power".

Despite the ruling, Pell’s legal team appealed the decision on three grounds, mainly focusing on the argument that the judgment was unreasonable. As reported by the ABC, his lawyers contested that there was insufficient evidence for a jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt, which is the standard of proof required for a guilty verdict.

Anyhow, this morning the appeal was dismissed by the Victorian Court of Appeal, and there’s a lot to unpack as to why.

Why was the appeal dismissed?

Two out of the three judges from Victoria’s Court of Appeal rejected that the jury’s verdict was unreasonable. Justice Weinberg was the only one to uphold the appeal on the first ground, claiming the complainant’s evidence "contained discrepancies".

Pell’s lawyers had also argued that Chief Judge Kidd should have allowed an animation that allegedly showed the movements of all people present at St Patrick’s Cathedral in December 1996.

But in a unanimous decision, all three judges rejected the appeal arguments that errors of law were made during the trial.

What does that mean for Cardinal Pell?

With the appeal dismissed, it means that Cardinal Pell will continue to serve his six-year prison sentence behind bars. The 78-year-old must serve a minimum jail time of three years and eight months.

However, the case might not be over just yet. There is always the option of appealing the decision to the High Court of Australia, the highest court of appeal. Although, the High Court would first have to decide whether there are grounds for the case to be heard.

Additionally, it’s looking like Pell is set to lose his Order of Australia honour, which he received in 2005 for service to the Catholic Church.  

Archbishop Mark Coleridge, the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops conference, said in a statement, "all Australians must be equal under the law and accept today’s judgment accordingly".

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