Former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell lost an appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys and will remain in prison for at least another three years, a court ruled on Wednesday.

Former Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell lost an appeal against his conviction for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys and will remain in prison for at least another three years, a court ruled on Wednesday. Pell, the highest-ranking Catholic worldwide to be convicted of child sex offences, was sentenced in March to six years in jail after being found guilty on five charges of abusing the two boys at St Patrick's Cathedral while he was Archbishop of Melbourne in the late 1990s. Pell appealed his conviction to Victoria's Court of Appeal on three grounds, but mainly on the argument that the jury's verdict was unreasonable based on the evidence at the trial. "Having reviewed the whole of the evidence, two of the judges of the court of appeal ... have decided that it was open to the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Cardinal Pell was guilty of the offences charged," Supreme Court of Victoria Chief Justice Anne Ferguson said, reading out a summary of the court's decision. Pell had also appealed on the grounds that the trial judge was wrong to have blocked the defence from showing a video animation to back up its closing argument and that Pell should have entered his plea while in front of potential jurors rather than by a video link in the court house. The three appeal judges decided to only grant leave to hear the first ground of appeal, that the jury verdict was unreasonable, and that was then dismissed on a 2-1 verdict. Under the terms of his sentencing, Pell will be eligible for parole in October 2022, when he will be 81.

Ex-Vatican treasurer Pell loses appeal against sex abuse convictions, to stay in jail

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/notre-dame-cathedral-was-probably-caused-by-accident-say-french-prosecutors-210901">Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris</a>.

New York Police Department (NYPD) deputy commissioner John Miller said the arrested man claimed he was taking a shortcut through the cathedral after his car ran out of fuel, but his answers were "inconsistent and evasive."

"We don't know what his mindset was, what his motive was," Miller told a press conference on the steps of the cathedral, a neo-Gothic structure in the heart of Manhattan.

The man was confronted by a cathedral security officer and was told he cannot go inside carrying those items, according to the police.

"At that point, some gasoline apparently spills out onto the floor as he's turned around," Miller said.

After an alarm was raised, officers from the NYPD's counter-terrorism bureau caught up to the man and arrested him after questioning.

"His basic story was he was cutting through the cathedral... that his car had run out of gas," Miller said.

"We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas and at that point he was taken into custody."

Miller said the 37-year-old suspect was "known to police," who are currently looking into his background.

Construction first started on St Patrick's Cathedral in the mid-1880s and was completed in 1878, although extensions have been added over the years and a major restoration was completed in 2015.

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. New York Police Department (NYPD) deputy commissioner John Miller said the arrested man claimed he was taking a shortcut through the cathedral after his car ran out of fuel, but his answers were "inconsistent and evasive." "We don't know what his mindset was, what his motive was," Miller told a press conference on the steps of the cathedral, a neo-Gothic structure in the heart of Manhattan. The man was confronted by a cathedral security officer and was told he cannot go inside carrying those items, according to the police. "At that point, some gasoline apparently spills out onto the floor as he's turned around," Miller said. After an alarm was raised, officers from the NYPD's counter-terrorism bureau caught up to the man and arrested him after questioning. "His basic story was he was cutting through the cathedral... that his car had run out of gas," Miller said. "We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas and at that point he was taken into custody." Miller said the 37-year-old suspect was "known to police," who are currently looking into his background. Construction first started on St Patrick's Cathedral in the mid-1880s and was completed in 1878, although extensions have been added over the years and a major restoration was completed in 2015.

New York Police Department arrest man carrying gasoline into St Patrick's Cathedral

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Ex-Vatican treasurer Pell loses appeal against sex abuse convictions, to stay in jail

New York Police Department arrest man carrying gasoline into St Patrick's Cathedral