Geelong child-abuse survivor Chris Pianto has welcomed the conviction of Cardinal George Pell, after the lifting of suppression order on the verdict on Tuesday.
“It’s a great relief to see justice finally come after many advocates, victims and survivors have been waiting for so long,” he said.
“I would be disappointed if he doesn’t get jail, but even if he gets out free or avoids jail, his life is destroyed because of this publicity.”
Pell, 77, was remanded in custody on five child sex offences, after his conviction last December.
A jury found him guilty of sexually abusing two choirboys when he was archbishop of Melbourne in the late 1990s.
Mr Pianto said he had mutual friends of a victim of Pell’s through closed social media groups for child-abuse survivors.
“A lot of us have known what he’s been up to. We had been waiting a lot of years for this conviction.“
Mr Pianto shot himself in the leg 26 years ago to expose abuse by a teacher at St Joseph’s College after charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
“It was my word against his,” he said.
The courts convicted the teacher six years later after three other victims came forward.
Pell will face sentencing on 13 March but his legal team is seeking a retrial or an appeal of his convictions. He continues to deny the offences.
The overdose death of one of Pell’s victim’s decades after the attack should be taken into account in sentencing, Mr Pianto said.
Geelong priest and outspoken critic of the Catholic Church’s handling of child sexual abuse, Father Kevin Dillon told 3AW that Pell’s crimes were “appalling”.
