Cardinal George Pell, the third most powerful official in the Vatican has been found guilty of child sexual abuse by an Australian court.

The verdict was made public Tuesday (February 26) but a jury found Pell guilty on December 11th last year after a four-week trial.

He's been convicted of five sexual offences committed two decades ago against two 13 year old choir boys.

Pell is the most senior Catholic clergyman worldwide to be convicted for child sex offenses.

And the verdict has come as the Catholic Church tried to deal with a growing child sex abuse crisis.

Pope Francis ended a conference on sexual abuse on Sunday calling for an "all out battle" against the crime.

It follows scandals in the United States, Chile and Germany.

Pell has pled not guilty to all five charges.

The verdict had been under a strict court suppression order on the trial but that order was lifted and the outcome came to light after a second abuse case against Pell was dropped by prosecutors on Tuesday.

Each of the five offences carries a maximum of 10 years in jail.

His lawyers have filed an appeal against the verdict on three grounds, if successful that could lead to a re-trial.

He's due in court on Wednesday (February 27) for the start of his sentencing hearing.