An Australian jury has found Cardinal George Pell guilty of sexual abuse of two choirboys.

Former Prime Minister John Howard’s character reference for Cardinal George Pell details how he is a person of high intelligence and exemplary character.

Mr Howard submitted a character reference to the court yesterday after Pell was found guilty of child sex offences.

Pell was found guilty in December of orally raping a 13-year-old choirboy and molesting another after Sunday mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne in 1996.

The news of Pell’s crimes sent shockwaves across the globe on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he faced a County Court pre-sentence hearing.

His lawyer Robert Richter QC submitted a binder of documents to the court in Pell’s defence, including 10 character references.

Mr Howard became PM in 1996, the same year Pell committed his crimes but he said he had known the Cardinal for some 30 years.

His full reference stated:

“This character reference is provided in the context of charges being dealt with in relation to Cardinal Pell,” Mr Howard wrote.

“I am aware he has been convicted of those charges; that an appeal against the conviction has been lodged and that he maintains his innocence in respect of these charges. None of these matters alter my opinion of the Cardinal.

“I have known Cardinal Pell for approximately 30 years. We first became acquainted when he was, I think, an Assistant Bishop in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Inevitably we became better known to each other after he became Archbishop of Melbourne and, later still, Archbishop of Sydney.

“Cardinal Pell is a person of both high intelligence and exemplary character. Strength and sincerity have always been features of his personality. I have always found him to be lacking hypocrisy and cant. In his chosen vocation he has frequently displayed much courage and held to his values and beliefs, irrespective of the prevailing wisdom of the time.

“Cardinal Pell is a lively conversationalist who maintains a deep and objective interest in contemporary social and political issues.

“It is my view that he has dedicated his life to his nation and his church.”

Mr Richter said the people who provided the statements — TK Tobin, QC, Sue Buckingham, Anne McFarlane, Chris Meney, Greg Craven, Elsie Heiss, Katrina Potter, Daniel Casey and Michael Casey — love Pell.

“None of them believe he is capable of these offences,” he told the court.

“He relates to everyone from a prime minister to street beggars.

“He is a person of the highest character, putting aside the convictions that were recorded.”

Professor Greg Craven in his statement said he had known Pell for 25 years but knew him best when he was Vice Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University from 2008.

“Cardinal Pell’s public presentation does not necessarily match his private persona,” he said.

“He is a deeply sensitive person: thoughtful, considerate and notably charitable in respect of the failings of both friends and enemies, though not himself.”

Professor Craven said how a substantial proportion of Pell’s inheritance from his mother was understood to have gone to a university fund for lectureships and scholarships amounting to some $1.2 million, showing his devotion to charitable causes.

The revelations of support came amid tense scenes in the court, with Pell’s lawyer saying the crimes were at the lower end of offending because it “lasted less than six minutes”.

Mr Richter described the matter as “no more than plain, vanilla, sexual acts with a child who is not consenting”.

He said Australia’s most senior Catholic was “not a repeat wrongdoer” despite the guilty verdict.

“There are no physical injuries. There is no ejaculation. There is no recording of the offences for later. No prior history. No breach of trust in the traditional sense. No pre planning. No use of any implement.”

Mr Howard’s staunch support is seemingly in contrast to current PM Scott Morrison’s view, with news.com.au today exclusively revealing he is looking at taking action to strip Pell of his Order of Australia honour.

Mr Morrison said yesterday that he was “deeply shocked” by the Pell verdict.

“I respect the fact that this case is under appeal, but it is the victims and their families I am thinking of today, and all those who have suffered from sexual abuse by those they should have been able to trust, but couldn’t,” he said.

“Their prolonged pain and suffering will not have ended today. While due process continues, our justice system has affirmed no Australian is above the law.”

In court today, Mr Richter said those who provided references for Pell remarked that he had a great sense of humour and his offending was spur of the moment, but Chief Judge Peter Kidd hit back, labelling Pell’s crimes callous and brazen.

“He engaged in some shocking conduct toward two boys. And he did it in such brazen circumstances. He obviously felt some level of impunity.”

Kidd continued: “At the moment, I see this as callous, brazen offending. Blatant.”

Mr Richter said he was in a difficult position as Pell’s lawyer, as his client maintained his innocence.

“The cardinal’s position is that he is innocent. I’m not in a position to say why he did something he says he didn’t do,” he said.

Pell’s bail was revoked on Wednesday afternoon, meaning he will be locked up until his sentencing in two weeks.

— with AAP