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The Case of George Pell: reckoning with child sexual abuse by clergy
Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief Melissa Davey covered Cardinal George Pell’s evidence at the royal commission into child sexual abuses, and attended each of his trials for his alleged historic sexual offences against children — his committal hearing, mistrial, retrial, and appeal.
What she saw, heard, and read made her determined to produce a dispassionate and thorough rendition of what occurred. The Case of George Pell is the result — an authoritative account of those trials, of the basis for the guilty verdict, and of the backlash to that verdict. It is inevitably not only about Cardinal Pell but also about justice in the age of conservative media, about culture wars, and about the broader context of clergy abuse.
Despite a five-year-long sexual-abuse enquiry, three trials of one of the most senior Catholics in the world, and saturation coverage of the issue, it became evident to Ms Davey that many myths about the nature of child sexual abuse persist — and that, for some people, the evidence of victims can never be allowed to tarnish the reputation of the church and its practitioners.
The Case of George Pell is not just about one alleged offender, and one complainant. It is also about how the sexual abuse of children occurs — and has been allowed to continue.
What she saw, heard, and read made her determined to produce a dispassionate and thorough rendition of what occurred. The Case of George Pell is the result — an authoritative account of those trials, of the basis for the guilty verdict, and of the backlash to that verdict. It is inevitably not only about Cardinal Pell but also about justice in the age of conservative media, about culture wars, and about the broader context of clergy abuse.
Despite a five-year-long sexual-abuse enquiry, three trials of one of the most senior Catholics in the world, and saturation coverage of the issue, it became evident to Ms Davey that many myths about the nature of child sexual abuse persist — and that, for some people, the evidence of victims can never be allowed to tarnish the reputation of the church and its practitioners.
The Case of George Pell is not just about one alleged offender, and one complainant. It is also about how the sexual abuse of children occurs — and has been allowed to continue.
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 8, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 17, 2021
The majority of this tome is focused on George Pell, his trials and responses to The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. However, its true focus is the victims of child sexual abuse, our legal system, perpetrators and the inadequacy therein. Whilst polarising views of the particular events are self-evident, Melissa Davey’s first-hand study is a most notable achievement. Having spent enormous time and effort at great personal costs, the resulting opus is a truly scholarly study of an insidious crime and our inadequate institutions’ responses. A somewhat difficult reading and harrowing at times to the trauma suffered – a must read with a five-star rating.
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December 22, 2020At last, the secret trials of George Pell are revealed in compelling detail by one of the very few who was there throughout. With unmatched authority, Melissa Davey answers the questions that haven’t gone away: why was the cardinal found guilty, and why was he then set free?
David Marr
Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief, spent hour after hour and day after day in the back of courtroom 4.3 of the southeastern state of Victoria’s County Court. Her resulting volume, The Case of George Pell, is an invaluable resource. Part transcript, part diary of interviews with many of the trials’ major players, part wider analysis of the devastating price victims pay in reporting abuse, Davey’s volume pulls back the curtain on the once-secretive process — allowing readers a unique opportunity to evaluate the case against Pell, and his defence, for themselves.
Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
She is methodical, diligent and direct – and studiously avoids giving her opinion on the court’s decisions or her beliefs about Pell’s guilt or innocence. As a consequence, her book is a thorough, detailed, and tremendously important document of one of the most high-profile court cases in recent memory, and a must for anyone who wants their own understanding of what happened, as Davey says, ‘to be, at the very least, informed by the evidence’.
Stephanie Convery, The Guardian
David Marr
Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief, spent hour after hour and day after day in the back of courtroom 4.3 of the southeastern state of Victoria’s County Court. Her resulting volume, The Case of George Pell, is an invaluable resource. Part transcript, part diary of interviews with many of the trials’ major players, part wider analysis of the devastating price victims pay in reporting abuse, Davey’s volume pulls back the curtain on the once-secretive process — allowing readers a unique opportunity to evaluate the case against Pell, and his defence, for themselves.
Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
She is methodical, diligent and direct – and studiously avoids giving her opinion on the court’s decisions or her beliefs about Pell’s guilt or innocence. As a consequence, her book is a thorough, detailed, and tremendously important document of one of the most high-profile court cases in recent memory, and a must for anyone who wants their own understanding of what happened, as Davey says, ‘to be, at the very least, informed by the evidence’.
Stephanie Convery, The Guardian
September 18, 2020
I shouldn't bother with this one. Despite a change of title, the author has been too lazy to amend the contents to reflect the actual outcome of the law case (Pell v. The Queen). It contains an embarrassing number of howlers and suggests that the author is not au fait with the legal system in Australia. A shocker.
January 5, 2021
Page 102 and it’s boring me to the proverbial tears. It’s an important subject that needs to be spoken about, but if you’re already familiar with the case don’t bother.
January 25, 2021
I found this very easy to read, and never lost track. I am not familiar with legal issues yet this was very straightforward . It follows the trials and appeals of George Pell very closely. The author (rightly) doesn't pick sides. I can't in all honesty say I would find Pell guilty beyond reasonable doubt given what is revealed to the reader/public. But what was revealed to the jury behind the closed court room door? Having said that I do believe the choirboy was assaulted. Was it someone else? As for Pell -arrogance/entitlement.
March 14, 2024
Terrible writing and structure. Couldn’t get through it. Don’t bother.
Read
December 22, 2020At last, the secret trials of George Pell are revealed in compelling detail by one of the very few who was there throughout. With unmatched authority, Melissa Davey answers the questions that haven’t gone away: why was the cardinal found guilty, and why was he then set free?
David Marr
Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief, spent hour after hour and day after day in the back of courtroom 4.3 of the southeastern state of Victoria’s County Court. Her resulting volume, The Case of George Pell, is an invaluable resource. Part transcript, part diary of interviews with many of the trials’ major players, part wider analysis of the devastating price victims pay in reporting abuse, Davey’s volume pulls back the curtain on the once-secretive process — allowing readers a unique opportunity to evaluate the case against Pell, and his defence, for themselves.
Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
She is methodical, diligent and direct – and studiously avoids giving her opinion on the court’s decisions or her beliefs about Pell’s guilt or innocence. As a consequence, her book is a thorough, detailed, and tremendously important document of one of the most high-profile court cases in recent memory, and a must for anyone who wants their own understanding of what happened, as Davey says, ‘to be, at the very least, informed by the evidence’.
Stephanie Convery, The Guardian
David Marr
Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia’s Melbourne bureau chief, spent hour after hour and day after day in the back of courtroom 4.3 of the southeastern state of Victoria’s County Court. Her resulting volume, The Case of George Pell, is an invaluable resource. Part transcript, part diary of interviews with many of the trials’ major players, part wider analysis of the devastating price victims pay in reporting abuse, Davey’s volume pulls back the curtain on the once-secretive process — allowing readers a unique opportunity to evaluate the case against Pell, and his defence, for themselves.
Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter
She is methodical, diligent and direct – and studiously avoids giving her opinion on the court’s decisions or her beliefs about Pell’s guilt or innocence. As a consequence, her book is a thorough, detailed, and tremendously important document of one of the most high-profile court cases in recent memory, and a must for anyone who wants their own understanding of what happened, as Davey says, ‘to be, at the very least, informed by the evidence’.
Stephanie Convery, The Guardian
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews