Cardinal George Pell to walk free from Australian jail after winning appeal

The verdict is a major victory for 78-year-old Cardinal George Pell , who had steadfastly maintained his innocence.

Cardinal George Pell will walk free from jail after winning a long-running battle to overturn his child sex abuse convictions in Australia’s High Court on Tuesday.

Cardinal George Pell was acquitted on all five counts of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys in the 1990s (Reuters Photo)

The 78-year-old was acquitted on all five counts of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys in the 1990s, when the court overturned earlier decisions of a jury and lower appeals court.

The verdict is a major victory for Pell, who had steadfastly maintained his innocence.