'Absolutely shameful': Victorian Premier slams Tony Abbott over George Pell prison visit

UPDATE: On 7 April 2020, the High Court overturned Cardinal George Pell's conviction for historic child sex offences and acquitted him of the charges. The High Court unanimously found Victoria's Court of Appeal should not have upheld Pell's conviction and that the evidence could not support a guilty verdict.  

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has described Tony Abbott's apparent visit to see convicted child sex offender Cardinal George Pell in prison as "absolutely shameful".

The former prime minister of Australia was recently seen leaving the Melbourne prison where Pell is being held.

This afternoon Mr Andrews called for an apology from the former leader of the country.

"If you want to go visiting convicted child sex offenders, surely you would think for a moment that this is bigger than you and him and your friendship," the Victorian Premier wrote on Twitter.

"An apology is owed. It should be given. And if Tony Abbott won't, then I'll apologise on his behalf.

"To every victim retraumatised by this – I'm so sorry you had to go through it all over again," he wrote.

When Mr Abbott was asked what the nature of his visit to Melbourne Assessment Prison was, he responded: "Look, I was simply visiting a friend that's all," 7News reports.

Earlier this year Pell was convicted by a jury of the of the rape of a 13-year-old choirboy and sexual assault of another at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996.

The highest-ranking Catholic in Australia at the time of his conviction, Pell was sentenced to six years behind bars with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.

9news.com.au has contacted Tony Abbott for comment.