WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT

In some genuinely shocking news this morning, George Pell is set to be released from Barwon Prison, after a bunch of rich old white lawyers dismissed the jury’s finding that the former Cardinal was guilty.

In a giant middle finger to the nation’s sexual assault victims, who are subjected to a horrendous amount of trauma and distress (including each time this bloke makes headlines), the High Court has today decided to quash George Pell’s conviction.



Pell, 78, was serving a sentence of six years, with a non-parole period of three years and eight months, for the alleged abuse of two teenaged choir boys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in the 1990s, when he was the Archbishop of Melbourne.

However, after over five years of police, advocate and legal work, and nearly three years of criminal trials involving huge amounts of resources, the High Court in all their wisdom decided to completely dismiss the long deliberated and extremely diligently thought out decision of a jury, in favour of some legal nitpicking.

The group of wealthy, tertiary educated, cocooned lawyers who are probably wondering why the fuck the nation hates them, released a Summary Judgement this morning, stating that there should have been some skerrick of doubt in the minds of the jury who spent months being informed of how they should make their decision and on what evidence.

The opening paragraph of the judgement reads as below:

“The High Court found that the jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant’s guilt with respect to each of the offences for which he was convicted, and ordered that the convictions be quashed and that verdicts of acquittal be entered in their place.”

In the rapid fallout from the decision by the group of 7 lawyers to completely dismiss ordinary people’s judgement (one of the cornerstones of justice in this country), the nation is now wondering what this means for survivors of sexual assault and abuse who seek justice.

“Oh, yeah victims should come forward, despite the fact the whole process is set up to favour the perpetrator and anyone with enough cash to fund a ‘legal defence’,” explained a spokesperson for the High Court today.

“They should speak up, even though we might completely dismiss what they are saying even though a jury of their peers has publicly stated that they believe them.”

The comments from the court now leave the country wondering where this all leaves us, if the testimony of survivors isn’t enough to have someone convicted, given the majority of these appaling crimes aren’t exactly committed in front of an audience.

“Once again, we have proof that the law doesn’t equal justice,” sighed one spokesperson for the nation today.

National Support Services

Bravehearts Inc – 1800 272 831

Counselling and support for survivors, child protection advocacy

1800 Respect – Call 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au. 24-hour telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been affected by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence.

Lifeline – Call 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention.

Kids Helpline – Call 1800 55 1800 or visit kidshelpline.com.au. Free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people.

Care Leavers Australasia Network – Call 1800 008 774

Support and advocacy for people brought up in care homesC

Child Wise – Call 1800 991 099

Trauma-informed telephone and online counselling for childhood abuse. Training and organisational capacity-building on child abuse prevention.