Major Australian media companies have pleaded guilty to breaching a suppression order in their coverage of Cardinal George Pell's child sexual abuse convictions, which were later overturned. The contempt of court trial in Victoria's Supreme Court ended abruptly on Monday after the corporations admitted to violating an order made by County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd.
The breaches involved news stories published in print and online by the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and broadcasts on the Today Show and Sydney's 2GB radio. Companies including News Corp, Nine, former Fairfax publications, Mamamia, and Radio 2GB entered formal guilty pleas.
In exchange, prosecutors dropped all remaining charges against individuals, including The Age editor Alex Lavelle, who had testified in the trial. Prosecutor Lisa Di Ferrari stated that the Director of Public Prosecutions determined it was in the public interest to withdraw the charges, considering the guilty pleas and other factors.
The media companies will pay the prosecution's costs. Cardinal Pell's five convictions were later overturned by the High Court, and he has returned to Rome.
