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Australians have reacted with fury at the sentence given to Cardinal George Pell for  sexually abusing two 13-year-old choirboys.

Pell, 77, is the world's highest-ranking Catholic official to be convicted of child sex abuse.

He was found guilty in December of orally raping a choirboy and molesting another at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne after a Sunday mass.

In a publicly-broadcast sentencing from Melbourne County Court on Wednesday, Pell was jailed for six years for abusing the two teenagers in the 1990s by Judge Peter Kidd.

He has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal his conviction. 

While a cheer was heard outside court when the six-year jail term was announced, some onlookers - as well as social media users around the globe and celebrities such as Lisa Wilkinson - argued it was too lenient.

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Pell, 77, is the world's highest-ranking Catholic official to be convicted of child sex abuse

While a cheer was heard outside court when the six-year jail term was announced, some onlookers - as well as social media users around the globe and celebrities such as Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) - argued it was too lenient

'What message does this sentence send to abusers?,' The Project host Wilkinson asked

In a publicly-broadcast sentencing from Melbourne County Court on Wednesday, Pell was jailed for six years for abusing the two teenagers in the 1990s by Judge Peter Kidd (pictured)

'What message does this sentence send to abusers?,' The Project host Wilkinson asked.

'Or to survivors of sexual abuse who are considering coming forward? A case of the more famous you are, and the longer you can get away with your crimes before you are brought to justice, the lighter your sentence will be?'

Weekend Today Show host David Campbell said the sentence paled in comparison to the experience of Pell's victims.

'A reminder, victims of child sexual abuse live with this for their entire lives.' 

Senator Derryn Hinch said Judge Peter Kidd performed a 'demolition of Pell in 69 minutes' but also said the length of his sentence was appropriate and 'fairly strong'.

'I understand the emotion but Pell's crimes did not have a possible maximum of life in jail,' Mr Hinch tweeted.

Another person tweeted: 'Six years (three years and eight months non-parole) for Pell... what a joke! He should be getting the rest of this life in jail!'

Another social media user echoed the sentiment that Pell's sentence was a 'joke'.

'Watch it become a suspended sentence, always protecting the paedophile never the victims,' they said.

One person compared Pell's sentence to the plight of those who suffered at his hands.

Abuse survivor Michael Advocate (pictured) said the sentence failed to provide justice

Weekend Today Show host David Campbell said the sentence paled in comparison to the experience of Pell's victims

Senator Derryn Hinch said Judge Peter Kidd performed a 'demolition of Pell in 69 minutes' but also said the length of his sentence was appropriate and 'fairly strong'

'How about the life sentence for the victims he abused?' they said. 

After the court hearing, campaigners called the sentence lenient and a 'disgrace'.

Abuse survivor Michael Advocate told Seven News the sentence failed to provide justice.

Referring to the non-parole period, he added: 'Jail time of less than four months for destroying the lives of two innocent young boys - is their life only worth two years each?'

Mr Advocate said it gave sex abuse victims comfort to know that Pell will be behind bars tonight and added: 'May Pell rot in his cell.' 

In a statement, the unidentified victim said it was 'hard' for him to 'take comfort' in the sentencing.

 

Social media users echoed the sentiment that Pell's sentence was a 'joke'

'It is hard for me to allow myself to feel the gravity of this moment. The moment when the sentence is handed down. The moment when justice is done,' he said in a statement read by his lawyer Dr Vivian Waller.

'I appreciate that the court has acknowledged what was inflicted upon me as a child. However there is no rest for me.'  

Pell stared directly at Chief Judge Peter Kidd when he imposed the sentence on Wednesday morning which allows Pell to apply for parole after three years and eight months.

In remarks broadcast live around the world from Melbourne County Court, Judge Kidd called Pell's crimes 'breathtakingly arrogant' and said the abuse has caused 'long-term and serious harm.'

He said Pell's age and lack of offending for 22 years meant he is not a danger to the community and is not likely to re-offend.

The judge also took into account Pell's ailing health as he suffers from high blood pressure and congestive heart failure which requires him to have a pacemaker - and said there was a chance Pell will die in jail.

But because the disgraced cardinal still denies the abuse, Judge Kidd said he had shown 'no remorse or contrition' which could have reduced the sentence.

Pell, who was until late February the Vatican's treasurer and once considered a pope in waiting, will be placed on the sex offender's register for the rest of his life.

The cardinal wore an open neck black shirt with no collar for the sentencing - the first time he has been seen in public without the collar.

At the start of proceedings at 10am, Judge Kidd said Pell's offending had a 'profound impact' on his victims.

But he made clear that Pell would receive the 'stable hand of justice' and told him 'you are not to be made a scapegoat for any failings or perceived failings of the Catholic Church.'

Pell's lawyer Robert Richter QC leaves the County Court in Melbourne on Wednesday

'Nor are you being sentenced for any failure to prevent or report child sexual abuse by other clergy in the Catholic church,' the judge added.

Judge Kidd said he accepted Pell's lawyer's argument that the abuse 'involved opportunistic and spontaneous offending, rather than pre-planned or premeditated conduct.'

'Had it been preplanned or involved grooming, it would have been more serious,' he said.

Referring to the victims as J and R, he went into graphic details about the oral rape of one of the boys and the abuse of another in two incidents in 1996 and 1997.

The judge said the acts were conducted with 'physical aggression and venom' and said 'it was by no means a minor indecent act.'

Pictured: A protester outside court for the sentencing of George Pell

Judge Kidd said the boy who was orally raped was 'struggling and flailing' during the act.

'You moved from one victim to the other,' he said.

Judge Kidd said the first episode in the priest's sacristy involved a 'brazen and forceful sexual attack on the two victims'.

'The acts were sexually graphic. Both victims were visibly and audibly distressed during this offending,' Judge Kidd said.

'The obvious distress and objections of your victims is relevant to my assessment of the impact of your offending on (the victims).

'There is an added layer of degradation and humiliation that each of your victims must have felt in knowing that their abuse had been witnessed by the other.'

The second episode was 'brief and spontaneous' but could not be viewed as an 'isolated lapse' as Pell had ample time to reflect on his previous abuse of one of the boys, the judge said.

'Despite this, you still indecently acted against (the boy), and did so with what I consider to be a degree of physical aggression and venom,' Judge Kidd said.

'It was by no means a minor indecent act.'

Judge Kidd said by his offending in such a 'risky and brazen' manner, it was inferred Pell was prepared to take such risks.

'I conclude that your decision to offend was a reasoned, albeit perverted, one, and I reach that conclusion to the criminal standard.'

Pell also abused his position by breaching the trust of his victims.

'I find beyond reasonable doubt that, on the specific facts of your case, there was a clear relationship of trust with the victims, and you breached that trust and abused your position to facilitate this offending,' the judge said.

Judge Kidd rejected Pell's defence argument the crimes were committed by Pell the man, not the archbishop.

'Your obvious status as Archbishop cast a powerful shadow over this offending,' he said.

'I would characterise these breaches and abuses as grave.'

Talking about Pell's role as Archbishop of Melbourne, the judge said: 'There was breach of trust and you abused your position to facilitate the offending.

'You were a pillar of St Patrick's community by virtue of your role as Archbishop. Victim J gave evidence that the choirboys were expected to show reverence in your presence.

'The evidence shows that you were profoundly revered, Cardinal Pell, which imbued you with and legitimised your authority.

As Archbishop, you did have a relationship of approval in relation to the choirboys. In part, the choirboys were performing to please you as Archbishop.

'There was evidence that you would, from time to time, visit the robing room to congratulate the boys on their singing. The choirboys were the least powerful and the most subordinate individuals at the Cathedral.

'The victims themselves were 13 years of age. The power imbalance between the victims and all the senior church leaders or officials, yourself included, was stark.'

In summarising his decision to sentence Kidd to six years in jail, he said: 'On the one hand I must punish and denounce you for this appalling offending. Yet on the other hand, I am conscious of the heavy reality that I am about to sentence you, a man of advanced years, who has led an otherwise blameless life, to a significant period of imprisonment, which will account for a good portion of the balance of your life.'

Ahead of the sentencing, campaigner against child sexual abuse Leonie Sheedy said outside court that she hoped for a long sentence.

'I hope that justice prevails and that Mr George Pell is treated like every other pedophile and sex offender in this state and he is incarcerated for a sentence that is appropriate to the crime that he committed,' Ms Sheedy told 3AW radio.

Melbourne County Court was packed with abuse survivors including Pell's surviving victim, now in his 30s.

He was orally raped by Pell in the priest's sacristy after a Sunday mass in December 1996, forced to watch as Pell molested his 13-year-old friend, and then molested again by Pell a month later.

The other victim died in 2014 after a heroin overdose. 

FROM ALLEGATIONS TO CONVICTION: A TIMELINE OF THE CARDINAL GEORGE PELL CASE 

1996

- Pell appointed Archbishop of Melbourne by Pope John Paul II

- Pell sexually abuses two 13-year-old choirboys after a Sunday solemn mass at St Patrick's Cathedral

- A second indecent act is committed by Pell against one of the choirboys in a corridor at the Cathedral.

2016

- The Herald Sun reports Pell is being investigated by Victoria Police's Sano taskforce for 'multiple offences' committed while he was a priest in Ballarat and Archbishop of Melbourne

- Pell says the allegations are 'without foundation and utterly false' and calls for an inquiry into how the police investigation became public

- Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton asks the anti-corruption watchdog to investigate the leak, but denies it came from police

Cardinal George Pell, 77, is known as the Vatican's treasurer and had been granted a leave of absence while facing trial over child sex offences in Australia. He has surrendered his passport

- Pell gives evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's inquiry into abuse in Ballarat

- Under Vatican rules, Pell gives Pope Francis his resignation on his 75th birthday, as is customary. It is not accepted

- Victoria Police investigators hand over to the state's Office of Public Prosecutions a brief of evidence on allegations of sexual abuse by Pell

- Officers travel to Rome to interview Pell over the abuse claims. He voluntarily participates in the interview.

2017

- Police present their final brief of evidence to the Office of Public Prosecutions to consider charges

- Prosecutors give police the green light to charge Pell.

JUNE 2017

- Pell is charged with multiple counts of historic child sex offences

- He denies the charges and vows to clear his name

- Lawyers for Pell appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court

- Pell takes leave from his Vatican finance chief role to fight the charges.

JULY 2017

- Pell returns to Australia

- He hires top barrister Robert Richter QC

- Supporters set up a fund to help Pell fight the charges.

MARCH 2018

- Prosecutors drop one of the charges against Pell

- A month-long committal hearing begins to determine if Pell will face trial

- Prosecutors withdraw more charges

- Mr Richter claims police conducted a 'get Pell operation' and accuses magistrate Belinda Wallington of bias. She refuses to disqualify herself from the case.

MAY 2018

- Magistrate Belinda Wallington orders Pell stand trial on some charges, but throws out others

- Pell formally pleads 'not guilty'

- Two trials are ordered, separating the 1970s and 1990s allegations

- A Victorian County Court employee is sacked for looking up information on the Pell case.

AUGUST 2018

- The 1990s 'cathedral trial' begins in the Victorian County Court in Melbourne

- Pell pleads not guilty again to one charge of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and four of indecent acts with a child, over incidents involving two 13-year-old choirboys at St Patrick's Cathedral in 1996.

SEPTEMBER 2018

- The jury is discharged, unable to reach a verdict following a week of deliberation. Some jurors weep.

NOVEMBER 2018

- A retrial begins. The jury aren't told of the previous hung jury.

DECEMBER 2018

- Pell is found guilty on all charges by an unanimous jury

- Mr Richter says Pell will appeal

- Suppression orders prevent Australian media reporting the verdict but it spreads through international media within hours.

FEBRUARY 2019

- Hearings begin ahead of the second trial. Prosecutors drop another charge

- An appeal is filed against the cathedral trial conviction

- A County Court judge deems vital evidence inadmissible

- Prosecutors withdraw all remaining charges against Pell and drop a second trial over allegations Pell indecently assaulted boys in Ballarat in the 1970s when he was a parish priest

- Pell is due to be taken into custody on Wednesday February 27 as the plea hearing begins.

MARCH 2019

- Pell is sentenced by County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd.  

JUNE 2019

- Court of Appeal to consider Pell's application to challenge his conviction on June 5 and 6. 

Australian Associated Press