Cardinal Pell will not be giving evidence in Melbourne next week.

Cardinal Pell’s legal representative AJ Myers QC made an application for Cardinal Pell to give evidence by video link at his scheduled appearance on Wednesday 16 December 2015. The basis of this application was the Cardinal’s current state of health.

Justice McClellan refused this application, preferring the Cardinal to give his evidence in person.

Justice McClellan noted that Cardinal Pell had previously agreed to give evidence in person.

The Judge further noted that the Cardinal’s evidence relates to two case studies which involve a significant amount of complex material. The Judge also referred to technical difficulties experienced when the Cardinal gave evidence by video link from Rome on a previous occasion.

It is expected that Cardinal Pell will be asked to give evidence in person when the Royal Commission sits in Ballarat in February 2016.