What happens to Cardinal George Pell now that he has been sentenced
Disgraced cardinal George Pell has been jailed for a maximum of six years for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys at Melbourne’s St Patrick’s Cathedral in the 1990s.
Pell, 77, sat emotionless and unflinching when the sentence was handed down on Wednesday.
He must serve at least three years and eight months in prison before being eligible for release on parole.
Before walking back to the court’s cells, flanked by security, Pell signed paperwork to be registered for life as a sex offender.
A jury convicted him in December of orally raping a 13-year-old choirboy and molesting another at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996 and 1997, finding him guilty of five charges.
Where will Pell be jailed?
Pell has been held in the Melbourne Assessment Prison in west Melbourne.
It is a maximum security prison for male inmates. As is protocol, Pell was strip-searched, placed in a jumpsuit and spent most of his time in a confined prison cell following his conviction.
Today following sentencing, he will be taken to a prison in Ararat, about 200km outside of Melbourne, according to 7News.
He is at risk as other prisoners may try to attack him due to his notoriety so he will need to be kept in isolation.
According to Corrections Victoria, the Hopkins Correctional Centre is a medium security prison for inmates with protection requirements.
It houses a number of sex offenders. There are single, double and triple-bed accommodation, cottage accommodation and a unit for the elderly.
Will Pell ever be released from jail?
George Pell is 77-years-old and in failing health. He has issues with his knees, a heart condition and stress issues, as well as a long list of medical complaints he had to deal with.
It is a very significant sentence for a person of Pell’s age, and during sentencing Chief Judge Peter Kidd said he may not live to see his release from prison.
“Facing jail at your age in these circumstances must be an awful state of affairs for you,” he said.
“You are also clearly someone with significant health issues.”
Pell will be at least 80-years-old when he is eligible for parole.
What will happen at the Vatican?
In 2014 Pell had been appointed by Pope Francis to be the Vatican’s treasurer and help reform the Holy See’s scandal-plagued financial institutions.
The Pope is currently on a retreat outside of Rome but it is likely he will wake up to the news that one of his closest confidant’s will be going to jail for years.
Last month as Pell was convicted, the Vatican insisted on Pell’s right to further defend himself with an appeal.
But Pope Francis was keeping in place local church restrictions forbidding one of his most trusted advisers from having contact with children while the appeal run its court.
Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti read a brief statement that called the news of the conviction “painful”.
He later tweeted confirmation Pell was no longer the Holy See’s economy chief.
Pell’s five-year mandate was due to expire in February and Francis had not been expected to renew it.
Pell to appeal conviction
Pell has maintained his innocence throughout his trial.
The 77-year-old denies the allegations and will appeal his convictions in the Victoria Court of Appeal on June 5.
The court will then consider his appeal and if successful, it could reverse the conviction.
with AP and AAP
