Colm Fitzpatrick
Fr Brendan Purcell A popular Sydney-based Irish priest has said he has serious doubts about the conviction of Cardinal George Pell for sexual abuse.
Fr Brendan Purcell, who has known Cardinal Pell for more than 20 years insisted that there are serious questions about the fairness of the trial in which the cardinal was found guilty of abusing two altar servers in the 1990s.
There had originally been a gag order on the trial, however that was lifted this week. Fr Purcell told RTÉ Radio on Tuesday that he felt that the fact that Dr Pell is a divisive figure in Australia made it hard for him to get a just hearing.
“All I want is for the law to be fair…there are people here who are non-believers and they’re shocked” by the treatment of Cardinal Pell.
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Fr Purcell said: “I would have to say if he is guilty, I want the same for him as everyone else – he should serve prison time”. However, he said that “Cardinal Pell is easily the best known clergyman in Australia.
“Everyone has a view on him, some people like him and some people don’t…how did he get a fair trial?” Fr Purcell asked.
He cited the fact that the cardinal had been pre-judged in the media ahead of the trial and questioned what effect this had on a jury.
See Page 20.