Sarah Harris breaks down on Studio 10 after George Pell appeal is dismissed

‘If George Pell was any sort of man, he would let this go’: A tearful Sarah Harris breaks down on Studio 10 after speaking to child abuse victims at the paedophile priest’s failed appeal

  • Pell lost his appeal against convictions for child sex abuse on Wednesday
  • The former senior Vatican official had denied sexually abusing choirboys at St Patrick’s Cathedral in 1996
  • He was found guilty in December and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment before appealing his conviction 
  • Pell now has 28 days to appeal to the High Court, his last hope for freedom, and lawyers haven’t ruled it out 

Paedophile priest George Pell will remain behind bars after his appeal against a conviction for sexually abusing two choirboys was dismissed by the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday.

And on Thursday, Studio 10 host Sarah Harris became visibly emotional as she discussed the conversation she had with a child abuse victim outside court after the verdict was announced.

‘I don’t cry very often these days, but I sobbed all the way back home in the car,’ said the 38-year-old journalist as tears streamed down her face. 

‘If George Pell was any sort of man, he would let this go’: A tearful Sarah Harris broke down on Studio 10 on Thursday, after speaking to a child abuse victim at the paedophile priest’s appeal 

The tearful moment happened after Studio 10 aired an interview Sarah had conducted with an abuse survivor who suffered at the hands of the Anglican Church.

‘It was such an emotional day outside the Victorian Supreme Court yesterday,’ she said, referring to the heartbreaking footage.

Fellow panelist Kerri-Anne Kennerley consoled Sarah, saying that the details provided by the abuse victim had been ‘so rough’.

Sarah added: ‘I think that if George Pell was any sort of man, he would let this go. He has the chance to right so many wrongs and even if he is not guilty – as he claims of this particular crime – he has played such a big part over so many years in destroying lives.

‘It will be best for everyone if he just lets this go. It was so hard to see these people [abuse survivors] outside court yesterday.’

Heartbreaking: The tearful moment happened after Studio 10 aired an interview Sarah had conducted with an abuse survivor who suffered at the hands of the Anglican Church

Heartbreaking: The tearful moment happened after Studio 10 aired an interview Sarah had conducted with an abuse survivor who suffered at the hands of the Anglican Church 

Monster: Sarah said that George Pell should accept the court's ruling, as his continued efforts to appeal his conviction are causing further harm to victims of priest abuse. Pictured: Pell outside the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday

Monster: Sarah said that George Pell should accept the court’s ruling, as his continued efforts to appeal his conviction are causing further harm to victims of priest abuse. Pictured: Pell outside the Supreme Court of Victoria on Wednesday

Her view: Sarah said, 'I think that if George Pell was any sort of man, he would let this go. He has the chance to right so many wrongs and even if he is not guilty - as he claims of this particular crime - he has played such a big part over so many years in destroying lives'

Her view: Sarah said, ‘I think that if George Pell was any sort of man, he would let this go. He has the chance to right so many wrongs and even if he is not guilty – as he claims of this particular crime – he has played such a big part over so many years in destroying lives’ 

Kerri-Anne then offered her thoughts on Sarah’s interview with the abuse survivor. 

She said: ‘To hear what David went through, beaten with a cord, sodomised… had his face buried in his urine-soaked mattress. The destruction of this man’s life who is still almost like a child, has clearly done so [much] harm.

‘As he said, child abuse will eventually kill him.’ 

Entertainment reporter Angela Bishop added: ‘When he said, “We were never loved”, that just cut deep inside of me because that is supposed to be what is at the heart of religion. Love, where did that go?’ 

'The destruction of this man's life': Kerri-Anne Kennerley (pictured) agreed that Sarah's interview with the abuse survivor outside court on Wednesday was harrowing to watch

‘The destruction of this man’s life’: Kerri-Anne Kennerley (pictured) agreed that Sarah’s interview with the abuse survivor outside court on Wednesday was harrowing to watch

A unanimous jury in December found Pope Francis’ former finance minister guilty of molesting two 13-year-old choirboys in Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral more than two decades ago. 

On Wednesday, the Victorian Supreme Court rejected his appeal in a 2-1 ruling, with the court’s chief justice saying the majority found Pell’s accuser to be a compelling ‘witness of truth’.

Pell must serve out his six-year sentence with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. He has 28 days to appeal to the High Court, his last hope for freedom, and lawyers haven’t ruled it out.

  • If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
  • For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit a local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.
  • For confidential support in Australia, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. Alternatively, call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
Criminal: Pell must serve out his six-year sentence with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. He has 28 days to appeal to the High Court, his last hope for freedom, and lawyers haven't ruled it out. Pictured on April 12 , 2005

Criminal: Pell must serve out his six-year sentence with a non-parole period of three years and eight months. He has 28 days to appeal to the High Court, his last hope for freedom, and lawyers haven’t ruled it out. Pictured on April 12 , 2005

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