Australia's most senior Roman Catholic cleric has been cleared of sex abuse.
Sydney Archbishop Dr George Pell was accused of molesting a 12-year-old boy in 1961 at a camp on the southern Phillip Island. He always denied the claim.
An independent inquiry by former judge Mr Alec Southwell dismissed the complaint.
A man had claimed he was sexually abused on several occasions by Dr Pell, who was a trainee priest at the time.
Mr Southwell's report says he was "not satisfied that the complaint has been established" against Dr Pell. The judge said that given the long delay between the alleged abuse and the complaint being made earlier this year it is impossible to produce forensic evidence backing up the allegation.
Mr Southwell also cited the cleric's vehement denial of the allegation and "some valid criticism of the complainant's credibility" as reasons for clearing him.
Dr Pell stood down from his position as Sydney's archbishop immediately after the allegations were made against him but insisted he was innocent.
He described the claim as "a smear of the most vindictive kind". He did not immediately comment today on the inquiry's finding.
AP