The first details of Cardinal George Pell's upcoming trials on sexual abuse charges emerged today when he made an administrative appearance in court.
Pell, the most senior Vatican official to be charged in the Catholic Church sex abuse crisis, appeared in a Melbourne court where he will eventually stand trial on sexual abuse charges spanning decades.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington yesterday ordered Australia's highest-ranking Catholic to appear at Victoria state County Court after ruling that prosecutors' case was strong enough to warrant a trial by jury.
Prosecutors and defence lawyers today agreed the charges would likely be split into two trials that would take a total of between eight and 10 weeks to be heard.
Pell's lawyer Robert Richter asked the judge to start the trials as soon as possible, due in part to the cardinal's advanced age of 76.