Pell scoffed at abuse claims in video
In a nondescript room in Rome, one of the Vatican's most powerful men scoffed as the Victoria Police officers described the sexual abuse of two teenagers that would eventually put him behind bars.
Cardinal George Pell dismissed, joked and described a victim's recollection of the abuse as "disgraceful rubbish" in his October 2016 interview.
As the 77-year-old cardinal adjusts to jail life, the interview exposing the secret of his sexual offending against two 13-year-old boys in 1996 has been released.
The footage, played to jurors who convicted Pell of five charges in December, marked the first time he heard the detailed complaints which he passed off as a "product of fantasy".
Cross-armed and shaking his head he told Detective Sergeant Christopher Read to "stop it" as he read a victim's recollection of Pell exposing his penis from beneath his ceremonial robes.
"What a load of absolute and disgraceful rubbish. Completely false. Madness," he declared.
When the physical acts he committed on the boys were described to him, as told to police in 2015 by the surviving victim a year after the accidental death of the second boy, he again denied it.
"What a load of garbage and falsehood. And deranged falsehood."
Pell continues to maintain his innocence as he awaits sentencing - up to 10 years on each of five charges - by County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd on March 13.
Victoria Police has confirmed there are no further investigations into Pell, but the Vatican has announced its Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will investigate with an inquiry that could ultimately lead to his dismissal from the priesthood.
It's not expected to occur until after an appeal, which Pell's legal team will pursue along with a bail application after the sentence.
Pell will remain in protective custody until then because of his high profile, including in lockdown which can stretch to 23 hours at time.
Prosecutors have flagged Pell is facing "significant" jail time and he will be registered as a serious sex offender.
Australian Associated Press