Australian Cardinal And Top Associate To Pope Francis, George Pell Accused Of Rape

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One of Pope Francis' top counselors and Australia's senior Catholic prelate, Cardinal George Pell, has been apparently accused of rape. 

Pell, who turned into the most noteworthy positioning Vatican official lately, will confront criminal allegations including allegations of sexual offenses. 

"Cardinal Pell has been charged on summons, and he is required to show up at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on July 18," Shane Patton, the representative police official in the Australian condition of Victoria said. 

Patton said there were numerous complainants however declined to give additionally insights about them, including their ages. 

"The procedure and techniques that are being followed in the charging of Cardinal Pell have been a similar that have been connected in an entire scope of chronicled sex offenses, at whatever point we research them. 

"Cardinal Pell has been dealt with the same as any other person," Patton included. 

Assertions surfaced that he had sexually mishandled minors himself starting at a very early stage in his brotherhood and proceeding until the point when he moved toward becoming ecclesiastical overseer of Melbourne. In any case, he has more than once denied the allegations. 

"I'd recently jump at the chance to repeat my guiltlessness," Pell said in Rome a month ago, after the police in Australia affirmed that they were thinking about charges against him. 

"I remain by all that I've said at the Royal Commission and in different spots." 

In an announcement Thursday morning, the Archdiocese of Sydney affirmed that the cardinal had been educated of the charges and that "he has again strenuously denied all assertions." 

"Cardinal Pell will come back to Australia, as quickly as time permits, to demonstrate his innocence following exhortation and endorsement by his specialists who will likewise prompt on his travel courses of action," the announcement stated, including, "he said he is anticipating his day in court and will safeguard the charges vivaciously."