Top papal adviser charged with multiple child sex abuse

Australian police charged a top adviser to Pope Francis with multiple historical sex crimes on Thursday, which he "strenuously denied".

Cardinal George Pell is the Vatican's de facto treasury minister and is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be charged with sexual abuse.

He faces "multiple charges in respect of historic sexual offences" from multiple complainants, police in the Australian state of Victoria said, where Pell was a country priest in the 1970s.

"Victoria Police have charged Cardinal George Pell with historical sexual assault offences," Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton told reporters.

"There are multiple complainants relating to those charges," he added, without specifying the ages of the alleged victims or the period during which the crimes were alleged to have occurred.

Patton said the 76-year-old was summonsed to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18.

No details of the charges were given and Patton would not take any questions, citing the need to preserve the integrity of the judicial process.

The Australian Catholic Church said in a statement that Pell strenuously denied the charges and planned to return to Australia to "clear his name".

"He said he is looking forward to his day in court and will defend the charges vigorously," the statement said. It also said his doctors would advise on his travel arrangements.

Australia does not have an extradition agreement with the Vatican, but has one with Italy.

Pell angered victims at a government inquiry into institutional child abuse in Australia last year by saying he was too sick to fly home, testifying instead from Rome.

He was ordered to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18. The cardinal was due to make a statement at the Vatican later on Thursday.