ONE of these Victoria Supreme Court judges is described as “the nation’s greatest authority on criminal law”, the other worked as a Labor Party staffer. One of them ruled in favour of releasing an innocent priest after examining the evidence, the other ignored critical evidence and over-ruled him.
TWO of the three Victorian Supreme Court judges who presided over Cardinal George Pell’s first unsuccessful appeal had no experience in criminal law.
One was a commercial lawyer while the other had worked as a political staffer for a Labor Party senator.
IT TOOK no more than a tweet from Chief Justice, Susan Kiefel, to deliver a massive defeat for the ‘guilt by accusation’ brigade who had so undermined the rule of law.
A unanimous seven justice ruling has restored that ancient and fundamental principle that the Crown must prove a criminal accusation beyond reasonable doubt.
