An Australian court on Friday ordered a dozen media firms to pay a total of A$1.1 million ($842,270) in fines for breaching a suppression order on reporting the conviction of former Vatican treasurer George Pell for child sexual assault.

Australian media fined $840,000 for gag order breach in Pell sex assault case

Lawyers for disgraced ex-Vatican treasurer and Cardinal George Pell claimed that he remains behind bars for child sex abuse based on "wrong" and "egregious" legal decisions, as they concluded a last-ditch appeal in Australia's top court.

Child sex conviction 'wrong', says lawyers of ex- Vatican treasurer Pell

Prosecutors have urged Australia's High Court to refuse to hear a final appeal by former Vatican treasurer George Pell against his convictions for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys in the late 1990s.

Australian prosecutors argue no grounds for ex-Vatican treasurer's final sex crimes appeal

Two men, now in their 40s, claimed that they were groped by Pell in the summer of 1978-79 at Eureka pool in Ballarat

Top Pope aide under Australian police scanner for child abuse