Australian prosecutor drops 1 sex charge against cardinal

MELBOURNE, Australia – An Australian prosecutor has withdrawn a single charge against Cardinal George Pell, the most senior Catholic cleric to face a sex prosecution.

The 76-year-old Australian cardinal will appear in a Melbourne court on Monday for the start of a monthlong preliminary hearing to determine whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial.

Prosecutor Mark Gibson told the court on Friday that one charge had been withdrawn.

Pope Francis’ former finance minister was charged last year with offences involving multiple complainants in his home state of Victoria. The exact details and nature of the charges have not been disclosed to the public, though police have described them as “historical” sexual assaults, meaning they are alleged to have occurred decades ago.

Pell has vowed through lawyers to fight the charges.