Three days before Cardinal George Pell is to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing on multiple sexual abuse charges, prosecutors have withdrawn one historical charge.
The Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, who has been on leave for eight months following the charges, is due to return to court on Monday for the month-long hearing.
Complainants will be the first to give evidence and the hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to commit Cardinal Pell to stand trial.
One of Cardinal Pell's defence barristers, Ruth Shann, said the defence focus would be on the timing of allegations, saying they were aware of material that would show that the timing and location of what some people were alleging was "in essence, impossible".
Magistrate Belinda Wallington has told lawyers that the cross-examination of witnesses and complainants would not "delve into detail that is likely to cause distress", adding that there was no intention "to trawl through abuse at the hands of other clergy".
Last month Ms Wallington denied a request from Cardinal Pell’s lawyers for medical records of a complainant from Justice Health, which provides medical services in prisons in the state of Victoria. “My view is that despite the limits of confidentiality for the purposes of prison security, the records are confidential for all other purposes,” Ms Wallington said. "My view is that they are protected communications."
The court will be closed when witnesses’ and complainants’ evidence is given, which is standard practice in the state of Victoria for hearings involving sexual offence charges.
Cardinal Pell strenuously denies the allegations against him. He will not be required to enter a plea until the end of the committal hearing, but his defence barrister, Robert Richter QC, has already told a previous hearing that Cardinal Pell would plead not guilty.
PICTURE: Cardinal George Pell is seen outside St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, Friday, December 15, 2017 ©PA
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