Australian police have charged top Vatican official Cardinal George Pell with multiple historical sex offences on Thursday (29 June) after allegations were made by multiple complainants. He is Australias highest Catholic and chief financial adviser to Pope Francis. In the Catholic Churchs long running sex abuse scandal, Pell will be the highest Vatican official ever to be charged. Pell has denied the accusations made against him. He has faced a number of allegations that he mishandled cases of sexual abuse by clergy while he was Archbishop of Melbourne and then Sydney.