Cardinal George Pell returns to Australia to face sexual assault charges

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
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Cardinal George Pell.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic and the Vatican treasurer, is back in the country to face sexual assault charges.

He arrived at Sydney Airport on Monday. Pell, 76, was granted a leave of absence by the Vatican to defend himself against the charges, the BBC reports. Police said the allegations are based on "historical" incidents reported by "multiple complainants," and Pell will appear in a Melbourne court on July 26. He has denied any wrongdoing, saying last month, "I'm looking forward to having my day in court. I am innocent of these charges, they are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.