Former Australian bishop jailed for sexually abusing young men

What the report says

Former Australian bishop Christopher Saunders has been jailed after a court in Western Australia convicted him of sexually abusing two young Aboriginal men. The Nile Post, drawing on BBC World News reporting, said the 76-year-old was found guilty in August of one count of rape and 12 counts of indecent assault, then sentenced on Wednesday to six and a half years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in February 2031.

Saunders previously resigned as Bishop of Broome in 2020 after the allegations first emerged. According to the report, the trial heard that he groomed the men over several years, using church settings, funds and properties in the process. The court also heard evidence of abusive conduct between 2010 and 2019. He was acquitted of alleged offences against a third young man.

The case is significant because Saunders is among the most senior Catholic leaders to face sex abuse charges. The reporting also notes that the Broome diocese covers a vast and remote part of north-west Australia, and that the church has faced pressure to remove any remaining title or ministry powers tied to Saunders. Church leaders said the survivors showed courage in coming forward, while the sentencing judge said the victims had suffered lasting harm.