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Vatican's Former Third Highest Ranking Catholic Has Been Found Guilty Of Child Sexual Assault

Vatican's Former Third Highest Ranking Catholic Has Been Found Guilty Of Child Sexual Assault

The 77-year-old used to be the Vatican's Treasurer and was Australia's highest ranking Catholic.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican's former Treasurer, has been found guilty of child sexual assault.

Australia's former highest ranking Catholic and the third highest in the world has been convicted of raping a boy when he was 13 years old and molesting another.

PA

He was originally charged with five counts, one for sexually penetrating a child under the age of 16 and the rest were for an indecent act with a child under the age of 16.

Pell, 77, was only removed from his post in the Vatican in December when the guilty verdict was handed down. News of the result has only just been allowed to be reported in Australia due to a gag order.

One of Pell's victims released a statement after the news was revealed, according to the Daily Mail, saying: "Like many survivors, I have experienced shame, loneliness, depression and struggle.

"Like many survivors it has taken me years to understand the impact upon my life.

"At some point we realise that we trusted someone we should have feared and we fear those genuine relationships that we should trust."

More to come.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Australia