MelissaDavey

It's breathtaking isn't it? The way that the reaction to these pedophiles was to move them on, hide them, then when caught, move them again.

I don't know whether the letters you are talking about exist or have been revealed because i don't know what parish you're referring to. But here in Australia, we have strong evidence including documents and testimony that this practice occurred.

The most obvious example is Gerald Ridsdale. Ridsdale, 84, has already served 24 years in a Victorian prison after being jailed in 1994 for sexually abusing nine boys. While he was given a sentence of 12 months at the time, dozens of other victims have since come forward. By 2006 he had pleaded guilty to abusing 54 children over four separate court cases. These additional charges meant he would not be eligible for parole until April 2019.

However, a fifth batch of 23 additional charges were brought against Ridsdale, which he plead guilty to earlier in 2017, bringing his number of victims to 65. There are thought to be hundreds of Ridsdale victims.

How'd he get away with it? They moved him from parish to parish.

Guess who he lived with in Ballarat? Pell, who was then a parish priest.

Pell was involved in the decision to move Ridsdale between parishes once the abuse came to light, including parishes in Mildura, Swan Hill, Warrnambool, Apollo Bay, Ballarat and Mortlake. Pell has always denied any knowledge of children being abused in Ballarat.

And who was by Ridsdale's side accompanying him to court as a support person when he first went to court?

Pell.

Ridsdale is one of hundreds of pedophiles in the church who were moved around instead of punished by the law. It's sickening. This is why I'm baffled we have no successful concealment convictions in Australia. Concealing child abuse in Australia is a crime.

At the moment? Tired! Not complaining but because there were SO FEW journalists in the whole case, I was doing international media interviews until 11pm last night. I was up at 4am this morning to catch a flight which I thought was at 1pm but nope, turns out it's at 9.30am. Whoops. My life admin is a mess, I keep thinking it's Wednesday when it's Thursday. Just the nature of covering a big ongoing story. I'm looking forward to a sleep. And routine. It’s important I do it though because the misinformation around this case is immense.

​You know, there will always be pushback. But I have been so pleasantly surprised by the genuine engagement. The amount of people that just really want to know the details and how the court works. People have been really supportive of the coverage and it has got me through. Even the questions in this AMA have been respectful. It helps a lot.

​What makes me maddest I guess is those who will never be open to changing their mind. They're not engaging with me out of a genuine interest in getting the facts. They just want me to say Pell has been made a scapegoat and it's all unfair. Sorry, that's not going to happen. I know too much.

Oh my gosh what great questions. I'd have to write an essay to properly respond.

To your first question I can not make blanket statements about the Aus justice system which varies between states and territories. In terms of THIS trial? [and mistrial]. It was thorough. It was meticulous. And it was a privilege to watch. The legal arguments were fascinating and the careful approach of chief justice Peter Kidd was something to behold. I also really respect the prosecutors Mark Gibson and Angela Ellis and defence Robert Richter and Ruth Shann. This was a tough, high-profile trial. It was clear all the parties respected each other. Kidd was fair, tough when he needed to be, and gave excellent, considered directions to jurors.

​I think it's in appropriate for me to comment on sentencing, but my sources were saying about 5 years. It's certainly not being considered as lenient by those I've spoken to in legal circles so far. But of course many would have different opinions i haven't yet heard.

​In terms of political and religious interference; All I'll say is Greg Craven, Andrew Bolt, Miranda Devine, John Howard, and Frank Brennan.

​Edit: hijacking my own top comment to say the latest episode of our podcast about Pell and the trial has just been released. Thanks to producer Miles Martignoni [who has been an incredible support to me as a colleague and friend throughout this] and David Marr, without whom this podcast would not be what it is. Love working with them both. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2019/mar/14/why-george-pell-was-sentenced-to-six-years-and-what-happens-next-the-reckoning-podcast?CMP=share_btn_tw This podcast takes in some of the conservative reaction [I think, I haven't listened to the final edit].

Concealment of child sexual abuse is a crime in Australia. However, former Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson is the only person ever convicted on this offence, and his conviction was overturned.

I find the lack on convictions for concealment incredible given what we now know about how pervasive and prevalent child sexual abuse was in Australia's institutions.

Australia's child sexual abuse royal commission published its findings from its massive five year inquiry into this institutional abuse in 2017. The chapter about Pell was redacted due to his trial. We've never seen the findings. We will after the appeal process in his trial. I'd be very interested to see what it says about what he knew, who around him knew, and if any concealment allegations have been referred to police.

Thank you but the victim who came forward in this case is the one who held them to account and who we must thank. So brave. Look at the backlash. He must be struggling. The jurors would be too.