• Cardinal George Pell was released from prison on April 7, 2020 after the High Court quashed his five convictions for child sexual abuse.

George Pell has yet to decide whether he will appeal his child sexual abuse convictions in the High Court, despite reports to the contrary.

Citing unnamed sources, The Age on Monday stated Pell will take his case to the highest court in the land, after drawing encouragement from the dissenting opinion of one of the three appeal court judges.

But a spokeswoman for the cleric insists no decision has been made yet.

Victoria’s Court of Appeal last week upheld Pell’s December conviction for the rape of a 13-year-old choirboy and sexual assault of another at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 by two votes to one.

Victorian Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne Ferguson and President Chris Maxwell voted to deny Pell’s appeal but Justice Mark Weinberg voted for his acquittal.

Pell, 78, and his legal team have 28 days to file an application to the High Court. The application needs to be granted before the High Court can hear any appeal.

A single judge would hear the application, considering factors including whether the case is a matter of public importance, whether the decision relates to a matter of law, or if it’s in the interests of the administration of justice.