A DEFIANT Cardinal George Pell has declared, “I am innocent” as he faced media in Vatican City.

Speaking for the first time after historical sex charges were laid against him by Victoria Police on Thursday morning, Cardinal Pell said he had been victim of a “relentless character assassination”.

“I’m innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me,” he said.

Police confirmed this morning Cardinal Pell — Australia’s most senior Catholic and the third most powerful in the Vatican — had been charged “with historical sexual assault offences”.

He has been summonsed to appear at a filing hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18.

The 76-year-old said he would take leave from the Catholic Church to return to Australia to defend the charges “vigorously”.

“These matters have been under investigation now for two years. There have been leaks to the media. There has been relentless character assassination. A relentless character assassination,” he said.

“And for more than a month, claims that a decision on whether to lay charges was imminent. I’m looking forward, finally, to having my day in court.”

Despite being declared by doctors as unfit to travel on a long haul flight, when he was due to give evidence before the Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse, he said he would return to Australia to face court in person.

“I’ve kept Pope Francis, the Holy Father, regularly informed during these long months. I have spoken to him on a number of occasions in the last week, I think, most recently, a day or so ago,” he said.

“We talked about my need to take leave to clear my name. So I’m very grateful to the Holy Father for giving me this leave to return to Australia.

“I’ve spoken to my lawyers about when this will be necessary and I’ve spoken to my

doctors about the best way to achieve this.”

The Cardinal, who grew up in the country Victorian city of Ballarat before rising to the third most powerful figure in the Catholic Church worldwide, said the laying of the charges only strengthened his will to fight the allegations.

“All along, I have been completely consistent and clear in my total rejection of these allegations,” he said

“News of these charges strengthens my resolve, strengthens my resolve.

“Court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name and then return here back to Rome to work.”

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton told a media conference in Melbourne the charges were served today on Cardinal Pell’s legal representatives in Melbourne and lodged at the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

“Cardinal Pell is facing multiple charges in respect of historic sexual offences,” he said.

Mr Patton insisted that Cardinal Pell was being treated in the same way as anyone else being investigated for historical sex offences.

“The fact that he has been charged on summons, we have used advice from the office of public prosecutions and also we have engaged with his legal representatives is common and standard practice. There has been no change in any procedures whatsoever. Cardinal Pell has been treated the same as anyone else in this investigation.”

Australia has no extradition treaty with the Vatican, where he is serving as prefect of the secretariat of the economy — meaning he could avoid prosecution if he chose not to return to Victoria.

Mr Patton said Cardinal Pell had the right to “due process” and have the allegations against him tested in court.

“Preserving the integrity of that process is essential to us all and so for Victoria Police, it is important that it is allowed to go through unhindered and allowed to see natural justice is afforded to all the parties involved, including Cardinal Pell and the complainants in this matter.”

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Cardinal Pell has been in his Vatican role for four years. He was made a cardinal in 2003 and has previously served as Archbishop of Sydney and Archbishop of Melbourne.

News Corp reported last month Victoria Police had received advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions about the allegations against Rome-based Cardinal Pell.

The advice from the DPP was understood to be that charges could be laid against the cardinal, based on the brief of evidence investigators had gathered.

andrew.koubaridis@news.com.au

More to come.