Pell is using the Sargeant Schultz defence: "I know nothing"!. He can't be prosecuted until they find hard evidence on him. Criminal court action requires a higher standard of evidence in order to gain a conviction whereas Civil court action can get a conviction of 'guilty" based on the balance of probabilities which is a lesser standard of proof.

MInd you if the Commission finds against Pell then there is the small issue of getting him out of the Vatican and back to Australia and then whether the RC Church is going to stand by their man and fund his defence. I'm guessing they might be able to afford a half way decent lawyer or two!

So lets see what else comes up and what the RC recommends in its report as far as criminal prosecutions go. The sad thing is that some of these buggers (no pun intended) are so old they may well fall off their perches before they can be charged and of course we all know Pell is too unwell to fly back to Australia to attend Court in person isn't he?

Cheers,

Andrez