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Cardinal George Pell denies allegations of child abuse after reports of investigation.

Cardinal George Pell has vehemently denied allegations of abuse, in a statement issued in the wake of media reports that he is being investigated by Victoria Police.

In response to a Herald Sun report that a Victoria Police taskforce was investigating abuse allegations against him, Australia’s most high-profile Catholic said the allegations were “undetailed” and had not been raised with him.

A statement from the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney also said allegations of abuse that were raised 15 years ago were “without foundation and utterly false”.

“The timing of these leaks is clearly designed to do maximum damage to the cardinal and the Catholic Church and undermines the work of the royal commission,” the statement read.

Cardinal Pell has called for a public inquiry into the leaking of the abuse claims to the media.

“It is outrageous that these allegations have been brought to the cardinal’s attention through a media leak,” the statement said.

He said the timing of the leak was clearly designed to do maximum damage to him and the Catholic Church, as he was “due to give evidence to the royal commission in just over one week”.

Victoria Police said it would not comment on specific cases.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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