The Australian cardinal has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two choirboys.
File: A photo taken on February 14, 2019, shows Cardinal George Pell leaving the Melbourne County Court after a court hearing in Melbourne.
The cleric, who has remained free on bail, denied all the charges and an initial trial ended with a hung jury in September, but he was convicted on retrial on December 11. The second victim said in a statement issued by his lawyer Tuesday that the ongoing legal process was stressful and"not over yet".
"It is a miracle. It is unbelievable," one child sex abuse survivor who only gave his name as Michael told reporters outside the court, adding that he wanted to see the cleric excommunicated from the Church and sent to jail.A pre-sentencing hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, when Pell is expected to be remanded in custody. He faces a maximum 25 years in prison if his appeal is rejected, prosecutors have said.
News of his conviction will be a serious setback as the pope pursues a campaign to show the church's determination to fight sex abuse.
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