It has been widely reported that Cardinal George Pell has been committed for trial in Australia on charges of child abuse. In a guest post, Neil Addison, a Barrister and former Senior Crown Prosecutor, explains what that means.

As has been widely reported, a Magistrate in Victoria has decided that Cardinal Pell should stand trial on charges of child abuse. Somewhat bizarrely, the exact charges have not been publicised but I assume that Cardinal Pell’s legal team know the details.

The decision was made after a month-long hearing when prosecution witnesses gave evidence and were cross-examined. It is important to recognise that this hearing was not a trial: Continue reading →