Ex-Vatican treasurer George Pell will learn on April 7 whether he can walk free from jail, when Australia's highest court hands down its judgment on his appeal against historical child sex offences.
FILE PHOTO: Cardinal George Pell attends a news conference at the Vatican, June 29, 2017. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
The decision will likely bring to an end the long-running prosecution of the cardinal for sexually assaulting two teenaged choirboys in the 1990s when he was Archbishop of Melbourne. Pell is the highest ranking Catholic worldwide to be jailed for child sex offences. The court could overturn his conviction, in which case Pell would walk free, or it could dismiss the appeal, leaving him in jail. The case could also be sent back to a lower court, but legal experts considered that a slim possibility.
His appeal to the High Court was heard by seven justices over two days in March, during which numerous questions about the prosecution’s case were raised.
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