Ruling reserved in Aus Cardinal's sexual abuse case

Canberra, March 12 (IANS) The High Court of Australia on Thursday reserved its ruling on whether Cardinal George Pell's bid to quash his sexual abuse convictions has been successful.The former Vatican treasurer is serving a six-year jail sentence after a jury found he abused two boys in a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s, the BBC reported.He is the most senior Catholic globally to be jailed for such crimes, but maintains his innocence. During hearings on Wednesday and Thursday, defence and prosecution teams sparred over whether the jury had fairly considered all evidence.The seven appeal judges then reserved their decision until a later date, without specify when.The long-running case has rocked the Catholic Church, where Pell had been one of the Pope's most senior advisers, the BBC said in its report.In December 2018, a jury unanimously found Pell guilty of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choir boys in private rooms in St Patrick's Cathedral. Pell was archbishop of Melbourne at the time.The convictions included one count of sexual penetration and four counts of committing indecent acts.The trial heard testimony from the only surviving victim and evidence from dozens of churchgoers.
--IANS ksk/