Bob Bharti; 22 March 2018
One of the most anticipated committal hearing of the year is on the way behind closed doors in Melbourne this week. He arrived Melbourne Magistrates Court in a white car for his committal hearing, and will spend most of his each day this week in the court while his accusers give evidence.
Defence counsel Robert Richter, QC, asked Magistrate Belinda Wallington to allow his client to have breaks during hearing, considering "his age and medical condition". Magistrate Belinda ruled that Cardinal Pell can have regular breaks.
The court was told that one of the allegations levelled at Cardinal Pell involved two of the choristers being sexually molested by Cardinal Pell during the choir's procession outside the cathedral at the end of mass in late 1990s.
Rodney Dearing, A former choir member, was cross-examined by Pell’s barrister Ruth Shann. Dearing told the court that he was ‘responsible for hanging up Pell’s robes’ and he was therefore ‘familiar with the weight and manoeuvrability’ of the attire.
Mr Dearing told the court the archbishop's robes were heavy, and required another person to help put them on and take them off. He also agreed that the archbishop's robes couldn't be moved to the side or parted in the middle to allow him to reveal his genitals.
Mr Dearing told the court that he does not believe Cardinal Pell could have sexually offended against choristers "knowing the layout and how things worked"
Another witness, Peter Finnigan, who used to manage the choir, told the defence team that while he did not recall two boys going missing at any stage, “it would certainly be possible” … “But they would certainly be very naughty boys if they did,”.
The committal hearing is expected to run until next Thursday. Magistrate Belinda Wallington will then rule on whether there's enough evidence to commit Cardinal Pell to stand trial.
