Australian jury convicts former Catholic bishop of sexually abusing 2 men
The jury found Christopher Saunders guilty of abusing two young Aboriginal men after a three-week trial, while acquitting him of six other charges.
- On Thursday, a jury at the West Australian District Court convicted former Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders, 76, of 13 charges of sexual abuse, including unlawful assault and sexual penetration without consent.
- The verdict follows a three-week trial regarding charges of abuse against three Aboriginal men, with alleged incidents occurring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia between 2008 and 2019.
- Prosecutors alleged Saunders, whom one victim called 'Brother B,' groomed young Aboriginal men by hosting alcohol-fueled 'shirts-off' gatherings where he engaged in sexual acts including grabbing their 'privates.'
- Saunders maintained his innocence throughout and is due for sentencing at a later date, making him one of Australia's most senior Catholic clerics convicted of sexual abuse.
- The conviction follows investigations by the Vatican and police, adding to a global scandal where 7% of Australian Catholic priests were accused of abusing children between 1950 and 2010.
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39 Articles
A district court in Western Australia has sentenced Christopher Saunders, 76, this Thursday, of 13 crimes for sexual abuse of two Aboriginals when he was Bishop of Broome, including a minor under the age of 16. The crimes committed by the exobispo between 2008 and 2019 include a sexual penetration charge without consent and a dozen charges for sexual assault. He has also been acquitted of six other charges, including two for indecent treatment o…
Australian Bishop pledges healing after predecessor’s abuse conviction
Bishop Timothy Norton of Broome Diocese expresses his deep sorrow to victims and survivors following the conviction of Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders, pledging a diocesan path marked by listening, accountability, and hope. Read all
Former Australian Bishop Convicted of Sexually Abusing 2 Indigenous Men on 13 Charges
A former Australian Catholic bishop has been convicted of sexually abusing two young Indigenous men, ending a trial that exposed a disturbing picture of alcohol-fuelled gatherings, Church-owned properties, and allegations of abuse spanning more than a decade. Christopher Saunders, 76, was found guilty by a District Court of Western Australia jury on 13 of 19 charges. The offences, alleged to have occurred between 2008 and 2019, included one coun…
Australian bishop convicted of sexual abuse
Bishop Christopher Saunders was convicted of sexual abuse on Thursday, after jurours took just seven hours to consider the evidence against the former head of the Diocese of Broome, Australia.Bishop Christopher Saunders. Pillar file photo.The Western Australia district court found Saunders guilty on 12 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual penetration against young Aboriginal men. The court found the bishop not guilty of six other c…
Australian jury convicts former Catholic bishop of sexually abusing 2 Indigenous men
The District Court of Western Australia jury convicted Christopher Saunders, 76, of 13 out of 19 charges of sexual abuse that allegedly occurred between 2008 and 2019 in his sprawling diocese on the country’s tropical northwest coast.
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